A Different Reason
by mishy-mo
Summary: The skinny brunette, he said without thinking. Then there was a flash of cold steel and the crack of gunfire. Allison Cameron had been shot. Alternate 'No Reason' HouseCameron. Some strong language and sexual themes. FINAL CHAPTER! plus AN
1. Chapter 1

"Which one of you is Doctor House?"

He turned slightly, glancing in the direction of the low inquisitive voice.

"The skinny brunette." he said without thought.

The man was innocuous enough but House felt compelled to watch him as he turned to his younger colleague. There was something in the man's eyes, he thought letting the marker return to his pocket and his cane to his right hand.

There was a flash of cool steel.

House lurched forward on his good leg, swinging his cane upwards trying to dislodge the weapon.

A sickening crack of a bullet catching up with its own pressure wave as it shot from the end of the barrel faster than the speed of sound echoed through the room.

The shooter looked confused as the gun flew from his fierce grip and tumbled to the floor.

With a grunt House swung his cane in a high arc before bringing it forcefully down on the man's head.

The confused look disappeared from his face as all his muscles slackened and he slumped unconscious to the floor.

House's breath was fast and shallow as he looked from the fallen man to his team.

Two shocked male faces looked back at him.

Cameron.

He moved forward around the tangle of loose limbs on the floor in front of him, not caring if he kicked one.

His rapid breath caught in his throat as his eyes fell upon Cameron.

He stared down at her still unconscious form. She lay there on the would-be clean carpet, her hair fanned out around her head, her eyes closed, laying slightly on her side, blood seeping around a hole in her lab coat at her right shoulder. He could hear the ragged shaky breathing from where he was standing.

After a seconds pause he was kneeling painfully at her side assessing the wound and barking orders.

"Foreman, watch him. Chase get a crash team in here STAT and call security."

He could barely hear the two doctors follow his orders, all his focus on Cameron.

He sighed worriedly, applying pressure to the oozing and bubbling wound; her lung was punctured. Air escaped through the hole in her chest.

She moaned at his touch, her breathing becoming shallower and shakier with each passing second.

He watched her skin grow unnaturally pale as the liquid that would give it color seeped through the tiny gaps of his fingers and over his hand.

"Cameron."

"House?" she gurgled, an unnatural red tinge to the lips contrasting with her pallid skin.

"Don't talk. You were shot. Everything's going to be fine." he said, his left hand moving to her neck feeling her fast heartbeat beneath his fingers.

Her body shuddered, blood on her lips contrasting horribly with the blue tinge creeping across her skin, her breathing rate increasing and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

"Cameron!" he shouted calling her back to him, his hand cupping her cheek. "Look at me." he said forcefully willing her now open eyes to focus on his. "You are going into shock, I know it hurts but you need to calm down."

Her skin felt cold beneath his palm, contrasting with the warmth that spread across the hand at her wound.

"Focus on me. Breathe slowly."

Her eyes continued to see through him for a moment, but determination moved through them an instant later, her scared green eyes focusing on him. An eternity seemed to pass before her breathing began to slow slightly; she grimaced at the pain it caused.

"Good." he said soothingly, his thumb brushing her cheek.

The distant sounds of a crash team running down the hall reached his ears through an eerie silence; a sweeter sound he'd never heard.

Her breath rasped deeply, a bubble of crimson liquid reaching her lips and dribbling at the corner of her mouth as her eyes lost focus and closed over.

"Cameron. Cameron!" he shouted, "Stay with me!"

Her eyes fluttered open. Exhaustion, pain and fear filled those normally warm and hopeful eyes.

"House..." she whispered.

"What happened?!" asked a doctor at the front of a crash team, gurney and other emergency equipment.

Chase spouted off medical jargon as people swept in around him and Cameron.

His blood stained right hand was moved from her shoulder replaced quickly with a gloved hand and sterile pad.

His fingers brushed her cheek once more before he fell back, his shoulders slamming against the glass wall; her pained eyes were still focused on his through the throng of bodies.

Then she was gone, pulled swiftly and efficiently onto a backboard and transferred to the bed waiting outside the room.

Chase left with the team, leading the life saving work on his friend and colleague.

Foreman had the shooter on his stomach, hands held tightly to the small of his back. The man was either still unconscious or had given into his fate not offering the slightest of struggles.

House sat still and stared at his right hand.

Her blood.

Cameron's blood.

On his hand.

Wilson stood at the threshold of the conference room watching the crash team and gurney disappeared into the elevator. Hearing the doors close, and silence descend on the hallway, Wilson stepped into the room. His gaze connected with Foreman's worried eyes before turning to his friend.

"What happened?" Wilson asked softly, pulling House from his reverie.

House's eyes still mesmerized by the blood on his fingers, his voice sounded a quiet monotone rumble.

"I shot Cameron."

Silence stretched through the room, both Foreman and Wilson shocked at his statement.

Two security guards arrived at the open door seconds later.

"Where's the gun?" asked the older guard, as the younger man stepped forward wrapping handcuffs around the shooters wrists.

House looked across the floor; the gun lay on the other side of the open door in the corner of the room. His fingers twitched at the thought of wrapping around the grip and trigger and firing the rest of the clip in to the shooters head and chest. He almost wished it was within his grasp, he was almost regretful that it wasn't.

"Okay you have to get out of here until the cops arrive." the older man stated, keeping his eye on the cool steel and the rooms occupants.

Foreman had the sense (or stupidity) to grab the patient's folder before stepping out of the room.

Wilson followed.

House still sat on the floor watched as the young guard shook the man until he groaned as consciousness returned, then attempted to pull the man to his feet.

House was on his feet faster, limping forward, his cane lay forgotten on the floor.

He regarded the man's unfocused eyes for a moment as he stood shakily in front of him.

His bloody right hand fisted.

The sound of cracking bone echoed through the room as House's fist connected with the man's cheek.

House watched as the shooter lent heavily against the guard, his broken cheek bone already beginning to swell under a bloody fist print.

"That's it." The older guard said, half in understanding, half in annoyance. "Get him out of here, Dave. Doctor House, you too."

'Dave' pulled the shooter out into the hall, those once malevolent and uncaring eyes filled with pain and regret at the sound of the other guard's voice.

House watched the guard push the man down the corridor and out of sight, only then did he un-fist his hand.

The movement caused him to wince, his own bones fractured by the force of his right hook.

His blood stained hand fell limp at his side as he hobbled to where his cane lay. He reached over pulling it between the long fingers of his left hand. Straightening for a moment he stared at the small pool of blood on the carpet.

It was small, tiny, almost unnoticeable; only because the blood that should be pooled there on the floor was filling her right lung and chest cavity.

It was serious.

It was life threatening.

And it was his doing.

With a grim face and dull emotionless eyes, he turned from the bloody stain and left the room.

Wilson walked beside him as he made his way to down the hall.

Silence stretched between them, Wilson could see that House was deep in thought, and despite his curiosity about the whole situation he knew it was best to wait until House wanted to talk about the what happened.

Reaching a restroom House pushed the door with his left hand and made his way to the sinks.

Wilson lent against the tiled white wall as he watched House wash away Cameron's blood from his tender and swollen hand.

"You should get that checked out."

The silence that answered him told Wilson that it would be a long time before House would go through the motions of his hand being x-rayed and set in a cast.

Once his hand was clean House let it hang limp at his side before moving more awkwardly than normal with his cane in the wrong hand.

Wilson stopped him as he reached for the door, House's eyes down cast unable to look his best friend in the eye.

"It's not your fault."

Wilson's hand squeezed House's stiff right shoulder.

House didn't move.

They stood there in silence but for the drip of water from House's limp hand.

Wilson sighed and removed his hand. He watched his friend move as if he hadn't spoken and head out of the restroom and in the direction of the elevators.

"How could it be his fault?" Wilson asked aloud, watching a broken man disappear from view


	2. Chapter 2

House stood in the observation deck of the OR, a harsh strip of fluorescent lighting shinning behind him casting his forlorn face into shadow.

The room below him was currently empty but a flurry of movement in the adjoining room told him it would only be moments later that Cameron would be wheeled in and operated upon.

He could feel someone move into the room, the sound of the footsteps told him it was Cuddy.

"House." She said coming to a stop beside him.

He remained silent watching the surgeon and his team scrub up, waiting for the operation to start.

Cuddy sighed realising that she wouldn't get an answer from him.

He felt guilty.

"I talked to Foreman and Chase."

She watched a flicker of motion and emotion move across his face before settling back into a grim dark stare.

"They told me what happened." she said in a whisper, "How you knocked the gun from his hand. That you knocked him down. You were the first to get to Cameron. You calmed her down."

His jaw clenched, teeth grinding together ever so slightly.

"You are kind of skinny too." she said quietly, knowing her words would let him know that Chase and Foreman had told her everything.

She watched his head drop so far that is chin rested against his chest.

"House..." she said resting her hand on his shoulder.

He grimaced and brought his head back up to observe the room; a few nurses and an anaesthetist were moving hurriedly around getting things ready. His gaze was dark and pained as he watched them go about her business.

Looking at him she could tell that nothing she could say would make the slightest bit of difference. She doubted that even if Cameron pulled through and said outright that it wasn't his fault, that she didn't hold him accountable he would never stop blaming himself.

She closed her eyes and offered a silent prayer while squeezing House's shoulder ever so slightly.

The sounds of a bed moving into the room below reached the quiet ponderous pair, breaking the tense silence.

"Get that hand x-rayed as soon as possible." she whispered, her voice strained as she attempted to hold in her emotions.

She let go.

The only person that could help him now was in the OR fighting for her life.

House's knuckles grew white as his fingers tensed around the handle of his cane.

Her chances were around 50:50. The chest tube that drained the blood from her punctured lung dragging the survival rate down with possible future complications.

He sighed and watched the surgery unfold.

Despite the numerous units of blood that had been pumped into her system, her skin still looked unnaturally pale, blood was pouring into her lung faster than they could get it in to her arteries.

His eyes darted between the various monitors, the surgeon's hands and the machine that beeped in time to the rhythm of her heart.

Everything seemed to take an eternity; seconds became minutes, minutes became hours as House watched the surgeons hands move deftly and with utmost precision and care.

A piece of metal clattered into a tray; it was too small to be the entire bullet.

It seemed the bullet had hit one of her ribs breaking it into two pieces and doing a good job of breaking the rib too.

Another larger piece followed.

And it was on that second clatter that House's heart stopped. The heart monitor let loose a single ominously low tone as Cameron's heart went into cardiac arrest.

All hell broke loose in the room below. The anaesthetist double checked the balance of various drips and medications. The surgeon downed tools and pulled back the green sheet. A nurse pulled over a crash cart. Another watched the movements of the ventilator.

Four and a half minutes passed.

House could barely breathe. He each thud of his heart almost making his entire body shake. His hopes raised and dashed with each sound of the paddles discharging, the height of his hopes a little less each time but each time his hopes crashed it hurt just the same, if not more.

He had lost count of how many times she'd been shocked. How many times a nurse hand pushed on her heart willing it to start.

He saw more than heard the surgeon's weary sigh.

He certainly caught his glance at the clock on the wall.

"No!" House shouted in a commanding tone slamming his now empty left fist into the glass before him, his cane clattering quietly to the carpeted floor. His voice did not give any inclination to the inner turmoil in his mind.

His eyes however, were scared and pained as they connected with the surgeons gaze.

"Again." he said in a loud voice.

"Bring her back." he said softly.

He needed to figure her out.

Three years he had known the damaged beauty and he was still no closer to figuring out what made her so kind, so selfless, so... Cameron. This was not a disease that could be discovered with an autopsy. This was her soul, if you believe in such things. Everyone else he knew; he knew why they did what they did, knew when apparent changes in character would occur and for what reasons. But Cameron? She was more intricate than a Persian rug and the patterns of a million different snow flakes.

He needed to understand. He needed to solve the puzzle.

He needed her.

The paddles charged.

The ominous tone persisted.

The paddles discharged.

One...tone.

Two...tone.

"Cameron." he whispered a plea, leaning his forehead on the glass.

Three...beep, beep...tone.

"Please."

Four... beep, beep, beep went a steady rhythm.

House sighed and closed his eyes, the coolness of the glass doing wonders for his sudden headache.

Six minutes and forty eight seconds.

That is how long her heart had been still, how long her blood had been stagnant, how long her brain had been without oxygen.

Brain damage had now become a distinct, if not a definite, possibility. She will probably live, but it might not be that Cameron we all know and...

He lent heavily against the glass window for the rest of the surgery, comforted by the cool invisible support that it offered his wary limbs and tired head.

The rest of the surgery went without incident. The hole in her lung was closed over with the utmost precision. The rest of her blood drained thoroughly from the lung and chest tube removed with care.

The bed that carried her was moved from the room with less haste than it was brought in. He turned from the room, the only activity in it being the movement of strong stomached orderlies and nurses cleaning up the remnants of Cameron left in the room and packing bloodied tools away to be cleaned. He breathed heavily, his eyes closed shut. With a grunt he stretched his left arm to his right jacket pocket.

Vicodin.

His left hand fumbled slightly with the child-proof cap before delicately shaking two pills into his right palm. As carefully as possible he sucked the pills from his swollen hand but the soft movement caused a sharp pain to shoot through his already aching palm and wrist that caused him to hiss.

With a grunt he bent forward, plucking his cane from the floor and letting it settle in his unaccustomed left hand.

He made his way out into the corridor; the lighting seemed harsh compared with the darkness that had descended outside. His awkward gait carried him further until he could look through another pane of glass and see her lying before him once more.

His eyes followed each line of cable and tubing that linked her natural form to synthetic machines and drugs; each a life line keeping her alive, bringing her back from the edge of a dark bottomless canyon.

He could feel the gaze of others pressing into his back.

But he didn't care.

Didn't care for their thoughts.

Didn't care for their pity.

Didn't care for them.

He watched the heart monitor, listening to it's delicate quiet beeps. His fingers itched to mimic the song that played in his mind in time to that soft steady rhythm; a quietly hopeful tune.

As the notes danced through his mind he let his gaze pass over her.

Her skin was still pale but not deathly so. Each time she breathed out the neck of her gown would shift giving the briefest of glimpses to the beginnings of a bruise from where the surgeon had worked, on the opposite side a red mark that was an electrical burn from the repeated use of the defibrillator. His eyes cast to her face, still flawless in its beauty despite the darkened tone of the skin around her eyes.

The last few notes of a melancholy tune spun in his mind.

With a silent sigh he turned from the room, not meeting the gaze of pitying nurses or oblivious patients. His aching thigh and tired limbs carried him with some difficulty. He passed the conference room swallowing the wave of nausea that struck like lightening. At the end of the corridor a soft light seeped under the door to Wilson's office. He lent heavily on the door handle as he pushed it open to a reveal James Wilson sitting at his desk reading some document or paper.

House doubted Wilson was actually reading at all. His shoulders were too stiff, the pages previous to the one that he was supposedly reading looked untouched and the current page well thumbed.

House could feel Wilson's eyes on him; he glanced up catching his friends gaze before dropping it back to the carpeted floor.

He knew.

In that single glance he saw understanding that went beyond what he'd seen in the conference room accompanied by Wilson's own brand of caring; the only kind he could stand.

In small doses at least.

"Let's get that hand seen to."


	3. Chapter 3

"You have a brake your in your fifth metacarpal and have a small hairline fracture in the fourth." Wilson said looking over House's x-rays.

House still hadn't spoken a word. Not a single word from Wilson's office to radiology and finally to an empty treatment room in the deserted clinic.

Wilson turned to his unnaturally silent friend.

House sat on the examination table holding his broken hand to his chest, gingerly applying an ice pack to the swollen appendage, his eyes focused on the light box on the wall.

"I'll just immobilize your hand, no need for a cast." He said moving towards a drawer with the necessary equipment.

He heard the tell tale rattle of a Vicodin bottle which told him that House was actually listening to him. The drug being used as a pre-emptive pain med for the discomfort that was yet to come.

Turning back, Wilson placed the bandage and splint on the table before tugging at the sleeve of House's outstretched wrist.

He looked for what was really the first time at the broken hand. The skin had already turned an interesting color of red with the occasional tinge of purple almost visible beneath the surface just waiting to burst forward in tones from black to blue.

"God, you must have hit him hard." Wilson said softly, his voice a mix of emotion. Awe, shock, anger, sadness and others in between.

"He asked for me. When he came into the room he asked for me."

Wilson stayed quiet and kept his gaze fixed on House's hand and the splint he bandaged to it, afraid that if he looked at House he would stop talking.

"I didn't think. Not often that it happens, but some of the stuff that comes out my mouth is just a reflex, my sarcasm muscle flexing at the sight of an new target."

There was a pause.

Wilson knew House regretted his choice of words.

"He looked normal enough. But if I really believed that why didn't I turn back to the board? Why did I keep watching him? Why didn't I do more? I saw something in his eyes; a sort of distance. I shouldn't have said it. Why did I say it?"

Anyone who didn't truly know House would have thought the question rhetorical. Wilson however had known House for over ten years; he heard the questioning and desperate tone in his voice.

"House, you were just being you."

"But just being me has never got anyone shot before. I've hurt patients, not caring about their emotional wellbeing just delivering the blunt truth with no care for the consequences because they're not mine. I've made interns and nurses cry, repeatedly. I've had thirteen lawsuits filed against me in the past 4 years. I've made janitors and catering staff quit after less than two days into the job. But I've never almost gotten someone killed. Sure, patients have died because we couldn't catch it in time, because of a process of elimination in treatments, but I didn't... I didn't care."

There was something in the way he said the word 'care' that made Wilson's ears prick upwards. Wilson knew that House did in fact care (in his own House sort of way) about any patient that he lost, but this was different.

This was Cameron.

"I ... she can't die, she just can't."

"House, I know you blame yourself but the gun wasn't in your hand. In fact you knocked it from the hand it was in. Cameron wouldn't..."

"Stop." House said barely above a whisper, his eyes holding Wilson's gaze for the first time all day.

The tone of finality in House's voice told him that was the last word he'd hear from House that night. Possibly longer.

Wilson gulped.

House stared at him not entirely unlike the way he'd stared at the shooter before House broke his hand on the guy's cheek, with a glazed and fearful look Wilson dropped his eyes to House's hand once more.

He finished the splint in silence, passing the bandage over and under in a well rehearsed dance all the while feeling House's heated gaze still on him.

Once taped and finished, Wilson filled out a script for Vicodin knowing that he would be using more over the coming days.

House took the paper silently and thrust it into his pocket.

Tentatively Wilson met House's gaze.

Anger had faded into the background. His eyes were dark, filled with sadness, pain, regret and exhaustion.

Wilson gathered up House's x-rays and thickening medical file then moved to the door. He opened the door and turned back to his friend, he hoped.

"Try to get some sleep House."

The door closed softly.

House closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

He was angry at Wilson.

He was furious at the bastard that shot her.

But more so he was livid with himself.

A part of him wanted to hit anyone he saw until he passed out from pain and exhaustion. A part of him wanted to cry. A part of him wanted to break into the police station and squeeze the life from the shooter with his bare broken hands. A part of him wanted to end it all now, over dose on whatever he could find in the room.

He sighed and opened his eyes to the unfriendly harsh lighting.

He got stiffly to his feet, tossing the ice pack into the trash before taking up his cane.

As he walked through the halls of the hospital he was unsure if he found the quietness of it all comforting or claustrophobic.

In little to no time he came within sight of Cameron's room. Moving closer he saw two figures standing inside checking various instruments and drips. Closer still he recognised them as Chase and Foreman.

Adrenaline should have shot through him invoking a fight or flight response, but he was fresh out. The traces of the natural drug still running through the system were already numbed by the Vicodin he'd taken. Neither flighting nor fighting, he simply stopped and stood staring into the dimly lit room.

Chase and Foreman checked everything over in an entirely professional way, the awkward glances between them and the pained gazes at the still form on the bed the only indications to the fact this was not just any patient.

Together they made notes on the chart that hung at the end of the bed before turning to leave.

They paused slightly at the sight of his grim features before exiting from the room and standing in front of him.

"You look like shit." Foreman said quietly in an even tone despite not looking much better himself.

Then again his hand wasn't broken and he hadn't spent hours standing on a bum leg watching a heart stopping operation.

"How is she?" House asked ignoring Foreman's comment.

"She was shot, how do you think she's doing?!" Chase whispered angrily.

"How is she?" House asked in a slightly more forceful tone, anger bubbling in his veins.

"She's alright." Foreman said in a calming tone, "Everything is normal. The surgeon said something about her shoulder being overly bruised and swollen; he thinks she might have fractured her shoulder blade when she fell back."

House knew that wasn't all the surgeon had told him.

"And your prognosis?" House said softly, sapping every ounce of strength from his tired body to stop himself from breaking down or passing out.

"It was almost seven minutes House." Foreman said in a low tone.

"I know," he said almost a whisper, remembering the seven minutes that felt like an eternity.

All three of them knew of the possible implications.

"I'll have the tests ready for when she wakes up. Probably won't be for another ten hours or so."

Foreman sighed, and glanced at his watch.

"Eleven thirty. I'm gonna head home, I'll be back in at seven."

House half expected the man to run away and leave an angry looking wombat to beat his crippled ass, instead Foreman stood there giving Chase a poignant look.

Chase sighed and dropped his head slightly, "Fine."

At which point they walked around him with nothing more than a nod in his direction.

House listened a moment to their retreating steps. He moved closer to the room resting his hand on the swinging door before pushing into the room. He came to a stop around four feet from the foot of her bed, something akin to fear holding him back.

He watched her chest move up and down, even and equal completely unlike the long hours ago when he had his hand over he shoulder.

The words 'I'm sorry' passed through his head. But they didn't sound like enough. Nothing seemed like it would be enough.

His eyes scanned the equipment briefly before he left the room.

He made it to a restroom before he started to gag; his hand gripped tightly to the cool porcelain sink as his stomach churned until he could taste bile and regurgitated Vicodin in his mouth.

It stopped eventually.

He rinsed out his mouth a few times and splashed water against his face.

He stared at the drips of water that slid to his chin and fell to the white sink.

He couldn't leave. He didn't want to leave. He wasn't even sure he wanted to sleep, but his slow languid blinking told him his body had other ideas.

His office was out of bounds. Asking the nurses for a cot was out of the question and Wilson's chair wasn't nearly as comfortable as it looked.

He stole a few blankets from a storage room, broke into the office, took two Vicodin and passed out in the depths of a leather couch. He didn't give a second thought to his actions, unconsciously deciding to face them in the morning.

Sleep enveloped him the second he had obtained a somewhat comfortable position; considering both his leg and hand it was an almost nigh impossible task. Eyes closed, blackness surrounded him as he slipped to somewhere restful and free of the nightmares of the day that would haunt him in the future for weeks and months to come.


	4. Chapter 4

The smell of coffee and the scent of freshly applied perfume woke him up.

The smell of coffee instantly made him feel sick and nauseated. He told himself that it was because it smelled too much like sustenance, but in truth it was because it reminded him of Cameron.

The perfume told him the office's owner was close by.

"I'd get rid of the coffee if I were you." he mumbled his eyes still closed. "Not unless you like the sound of dry heaving in the morning."

He heard a soft sigh and the sound footsteps. The smell of coffee dissipated and became less noticeable.

"Then again if you get knocked up it'll be a regular occurrence."

"Morning sickness doesn't happen in all pregnancies." Cuddy's voice sounded softly.

House opened one eye experimentally.

The room was quite dark; the sun wasn't shining outside, it's harsh rays filtered through clouds and a desk lamp giving soft illumination to a pile of papers scattered across a usually tidy desk.

Cuddy sat worriedly on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Hi." she said with a soft sad smile, "How's your hand?"

"Brake fifth, hairline fracture fourth."

She shook her head slightly and held out her hand. Two white pills sat innocently in the centre of her palm taken from his pill bottle that she fished from his jacket pocket, a new bottle now sat along side the half empty one as she picked up his prescription a few moments ago.

With the slightest nod in thanks he took the pills for her hand and swallowed them, his eyes closing at the familiar taste of escape.

He sighed and settled further into the couch.

He knew if anything had happened in the night he would have been paged.

Cuddy looked upon him thoughtfully, as if trying to work out just how this affected him. The 'relationship' between House and his female underling was complicated at the best of times; she wondered just where exactly this strong reaction to the shooting was coming from. Was it just guilt?

House kept his gaze on hers.

"What time is it?" House asked quietly, his bleary eyes willing Cuddy to keep from asking the question he saw in her own.

A question he had to fight from asking himself.

"Seven forty five. Foreman and Chase are getting those tests together, I asked someone from neurology to over see the tests to ensure impartiality."

"Impossible, everyone likes Cameron." It took a great deal of strength not to groan at his admission, at which point he tried to steer the conversation away from that dangerous topic. "Who'd you get?"

"Richards."

House nodded. Richards was a good doctor.

"I take it you're her attending?" House asked quietly.

Cuddy nodded. "House um... she has you down as her medical proxy."

House eyes became wide and his eyebrows attempted to disappear into his hairline, for the smallest of seconds before he schooled his features and nodded once.

"Okay." he said rather hoarsely.

"If..."

"Yes, 'if' meaning not now." he said his tone dark and final.

An uncomfortable silence spun between them.

With a sigh he scrubbed his left hand over his face as he carefully twisted and sat up, blanket bunching around his limbs, his eye's still half closed unsure of the morning's soft light.

"I called her parents yesterday; they should arrive in the afternoon."

He nodded again letting his hand drop to his side.

"So how did you end up in my office?" She said with a small amused smile.

"My office is probably still out of bounds, I didn't want to ask for a bed and Wilson's chair isn't comfy."

"And going home?"

House stared at her, the emotions in his eyes to many to distinguish.

"Not an option." his voice rumbled as his gaze dropped.

"The police are finished with the conference room; they expressed an interest in talking to you..."

House almost jolted involuntary at the very idea.

"... but I told them you wouldn't be available for a few days. They can talk to you when they come for Cameron's statement."

House nodded mutedly.

Cuddy hadn't expected much more. She knew that bringing up the incident itself would quiet the normally loud and abrasive doctor.

"The shooter was ..."

"I don't care about him."

"His broken zygoma says as much. Don't you want to know why a man walked into my hospital with the single minded purpose of shooting you?"

"He didn't do it very well."

"He was the husband of one of your patients. Apparently you suggested that he was having an affair during her diagnosis and treatment. She was cured, but she eventually divorced and later committed suicide because of her insecurities and depression. He blames you."

He still didn't recognise the case, he'd told hundreds of people to ask about their partners extra-extra curricular activities.

"Why didn't he recognise Cameron? She talks to ..."

"She was sick. The flu of all things, six days."

He couldn't remember the specifics of the case, but he sure could remember spending six days without Cameron passing in and out his office. He snarked at her extra nastily when she came back to work, he said she was a poor doctor for getting sick and not stopping the symptoms before they developed, but in all honesty he was more hostile because of the way he had felt when she wasn't around.

Cuddy moved to sit at her desk as she watched House for a moment having no clue where his thoughts were.

"House."

"Hmm?" he said still in thought.

"Go change, get something to eat and just wait. There's not much else we can do right now."

House was slow to put on his sneakers, his body stiff and tense despite his uninterrupted rest. He grunted as shrugged on his jacket despite the fact that he'd only be wearing it for a few minutes; the rattle of one and a half Vicodin bottles sounded because of the movement. He felt in his pocket and confirmed the sounds.

His cane rested unevenly in his left hand as he stood next to the couch around 6 feet from the door.

"Page me when Cameron's parents get here."

"Okay." she said quietly looking up at his tired dejected form.

"Thanks." he said almost as a whisper and then he was gone.

* * *

Eyes still bloodshot and wary, hair tousled and wet from a shower and a clean crinkled shirt under the same scruffy jacket he wore yesterday, he made his way slowly to the cafeteria.

The smell of food instantly made him want to high tail it to the nearest restroom but he grimaced and frowned then ventured amongst the few breakfasting patients, patients' family and hospital staff letting his hand fall upon a toasted bagel and moving fast through the queue.

He breathed a sigh of relief leaning against the wall of a dark desolate corridor, the bagel almost squashed flat between his palm and cane.

He took a small bite, then another larger one.

His entire gut seemed to twist with the small amount of food intruded his empty stomach and mingled the guilt and a host of other emotions that burned through him.

The smallest of grunts slipped past his lips as he pushed off from the wall, he dropped what was left of the bagel on the nearest trash can then made his way to Cameron's room to begin a morning vigil.

He stood a few feet from the foot of her bed, still afraid. His eyes were focused on her the entire time, as he images and thoughts of what could happen shivered through his mind. More than once he bowed his head or looking to the heavens asking, praying, begging for her safe return.

Cameron was expected to wake up around ten o'clock; that time came and went.

But no one wanted to begrudge her a few more hours of sleep

The occasional nurse bustled in, but the dark gaze on his face kept them silent as they moved around the bed and checked the drips and monitors.

Chase and Foreman had passed through several times.

Foreman nodded in House's direction with each passing, a nod that House returned; Foreman understood that he could not punish House for what he did any more that he was punishing himself.

Chase didn't look him in the eye. His hurt and anger to great within himself to understand.

And all the while the monitors sang a melancholy song of quiet hope, filling the room with a monotonous tone fifty four times a minute, the silence between heartbeats almost deafening.

It was around half past twelve when there was a shift in the room. House felt the change rather than saw it; _Piu Mosso_, more movement, more speed, more life slowly filling the room and the silence.

Her heart rate was now at fifty seven.

House stepped out of the room and towards the nurses' station on the floor, without a second thought he paged Foreman and Chase.

They arrived no more than a minute later just as a nurse moved into Cameron's room as with the routine fifteen minutes between checks.

Both of them asked if anything was wrong.

House greeted them with silence.

"She's awake!" said the nurse bursting forth from the room

Foreman and Chase moved into the room with an almost shocked look on their faces.

House's pager buzzed softly against his hip.


	5. Chapter 5

It took less time than he would have liked to reach Cuddy's office; he set foot in the Clinic just as Cuddy had opened her door to Cameron's parents.

He watched as she ushered them inside and motioned for them to take a seat, her gaze moved to his as she held the door open, an invitation for him to join them.

House slipped a single white pill from his jacket and swallowed it before moving toward the glass panelled door, steeling himself for whatever maybe ahead.

He glanced over the couple that sat worriedly on the couch where he'd slept not 5 hours ago. They looked normal as people go.

In Cameron's mother he could see a youthful exuberance and beauty that was tarnished slightly by age; warm wrinkles from encouraging smiles lined her eyes and mouth. House figured that she was a housewife by profession but there was an undeniable sharpness in her kind eyes; mamma Cameron was nobody's fool.

Which fully explained Cameron's inability to lie.

Cameron's father had an air of military life about him. Despite the fact that the man was well into his retirement, his shoulders were squared and strong atop an almost ruler straight spine. His eyes surveyed his surroundings in a precision sweep, before falling on his wife. In an instant his eyes took on the same warmth reflected in hers.

They looked up as Cuddy closed the door behind them.

Both their gazes rested on his haggard form, for an instant he wondered what Cameron had told them of him.

"Doctor House?" Cameron's father said in a questioning tone.

"Yes." he replied quietly, swallowing the word 'sir' before it reached the end of his tongue.

The man's calculating gaze seemed to pierce through what was left of his soul, after a moment he nodded in a reserved sort of way and returned his attentions to his wife. He noticed both of them glance at his tightly bandaged hand, before looking away with a hint of understanding in their eyes.

"So, where's our Allison?" Cameron's father asked Cuddy as she sat on the leather chair near the couch.

House moved to the wall opposite them, leaning against several filling cabinets content to remain in the shadows for the time being.

"Allison is in our Intensive Care Unit at the moment, I have just recently been informed that she has regained consciousness."

Her gaze flickered to the silent spectator.

"But unfortunately," she continued, "I cannot let you see her at the moment. Doctors Foreman and Richards are currently conducting tests."

"Tests? What kind of tests?"

"A neurological exam. During the surgery Allison went into cardiac arrest, her heart stopped. It took over six minutes to get her heart going again. In that six minutes there was no blood flow to her brain which essentially starved it of oxygen, meaning that there is a possibility of brain damage."

Cameron's mother gasped and brought her hand to her mouth, as her husband wrapped an arm around her almost shaking shoulders.

"But until the tests are completed we can't be sure of anything at the moment," Cuddy continued in a soothing voice. "The important thing is that she's alive, thanks to the best doctor we have."

She was almost dead because of the best doctor you have, he thought bitterly.

Silence drifted through the room as the Cameron's absorbed the new information regarding their daughter's condition.

"How could this happen?" Cameron's mother said close to tears as he turned to her husband and sought comfort in his arms.

"What happened?" He asked in a serious official tone, his gaze darting between Cuddy and House demanding of answers.

"The husband of a previous patient made his way to the department and shot Allison." Cuddy said quietly.

"Why?" Cameron's mother said turning to the occupants of the room, her hand gripping steadily to her husbands. "Why would anyone want to ..."

"He thought she was me." House mumbled quietly to the floor.

Silence spun through the room once more. House continued to stare at the carpet, not needing to look as he already knew what he'd find in the gazes of the occupants of the room.

Cameron's father; dark, resentful and accusing.

His own guilt was already strong and debilitating enough without having another face to associate with it.

Cameron's mother; reserved and questioning.

His mind buzzed with enough 'what if's' and 'but's' that he did not need more questions, only answers that continued to elude him.

Cuddy; acceptance and sympathy.

Neither would he accept from anyone.

And in silence and shadow with the feel of three different gazes burning through him and images of the past 24 hours running through his mind he found himself close to tears for the first time in years.

He could feel his eyes burn with tears that threatened to fall, his throat tensing at the pained cry he wanted to let loose from his broken body.

He was almost glad of the knock at the office door that tore him away from the images of pain in his mind.

But the gladness seeped from him as his gaze fell on a grim looking Richards and behind him a forlorn and broken Foreman.

A single salty droplet of water snuck its way down his cheek becoming lost in the thick stubble of his chin as he blinked away the others that threatened to fall. He brought his left hand to scrub across his face removing traces of the tear before dropping it back to the head of his cane, his knuckles growing white with his fierce grip as he prepared himself for whatever news Richards had.

"Doctor Richards. Doctor Foreman." Cuddy said in a knowing tone by way of greeting.

The tension in the room more than doubled with the addition of the two doctors.

There was something final in the soft thud as the door closed shut.

"Doctor Richards is one of our finest neurologists, and Doctor Foreman is the neurology specialist on House's team." Cuddy continued introducing the Cameron's to the two new doctors'.

"Mr and Mrs Cameron." Richards said in a clipped professional tone.

House decided he hated the man in that instant.

Foreman remained darkly silent. House glanced at him briefly, his heart sinking at the sight of an entirely dejected Foreman who appeared to be having as hard a time keeping his emotions in check as House. He watched as his dark eyes met his then turned downward to the thick carpet.

Pain.

"The tests we've completed are promising, but unfortunately other tests will have to be modified and administered at a later date."

"Why?" Cameron's father asked in an almost weak voice.

House shivered at the sound of such a strong man sounding so broken.

"Well, whilst the brain is without oxygen many basic systems can be jeopardised. Quite often these set backs are only temporary but some..."

"Stop with the medical bullshit and tell me what the hell is going on with my daughter!" Cameron's father commanded.

Richards paled visibly and took a step backwards, knocking into Foreman.

Foreman shook his head and pushed Richards to the side.

"She has the symptoms of Broca's Aphasia." Foreman said softly.

Cameron's parents looked confused; her father on the brink of killing Foreman.

Cuddy sighed and dropped her head into her hands.

Richards looked whipped and out of place.

House let loose a groan of a cry and stormed from the room, pushing at the door so hard the panes of glass threatened to shatter. Moving as fast as a crippled man could but shouldn't he could not escape Foreman's next words that followed him through the open door.

"She can't talk."

* * *

A/N: Broca's Aphasia - "loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words usually resulting from brain damage." i.e. **disorganized speech, inability to create sentences and/or understand words.**


	6. Chapter 6

House stood across from the nurses' station of the clinic.

The world spun around him in a blur.

Nurses and doctors bustled around him in a sea of white lab coats and pastel colored scrubs.

Patients sat around patiently waiting for their name to be called, the occasional baby shrieking at the coolness of the room and mother scorning a tearaway tot sounding above the squeak of shoes and quiet chatter.

But as he stood there surrounded by life if felt entirely distant, as if he stood in the world but was no part of it.

He was still while the rest of existence was restless.

He was in pain while everyone else went about their lives completely oblivious to the broken man that they brushed past.

_She can't talk._

Foreman's words still haunted him sending chills down his spine. Despite the fact that the office door was now closed he could here the soft comforting tones of his voice making its way through the quiet din of the clinic; probably explaining the condition and the extent of it.

House knew it could range from a complete inability to understand and create spoken words to saying cat when she meant dog.

_She can't talk._

Which made it almost definitely made it worse than the occasional noun confusion.

Though he'd never admit it out loud, he had trouble even admitting it to himself, but he'd give almost anything to hear her call him a misanthropic bastard or go into a psycho-analysing speech about his brokenness and insecurities, just to know that she was okay.

But that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Or (possibly) ever for that matter.

There was nothing to determine whether this would go away in time or that it was permanent brain damage.

That was caused by cardiac arrest.

Due to the fact that she was in surgery.

To retrieve the bullet from her lung.

That was there because of him.

He sighed and closed his eyes before tipping his head back for a moment, raising it to the heavens; both praying and cursing.

Praying to whatever deity that may be listening to make her safe.

Cursing whatever deity could have let such a thing happen to Cameron.

But then again had it happened to him it would be something akin to just desserts, but he'd gone and taken his inordinately large foot out of his gaping mouth and let it flap around without thought.

Eyes still closed, his brow screwing into a frown, he dropped his chin to his chest wishing the world would disappear or that he would disappear from it.

There was just too much pain; the throb of his hand, the stabs in his thigh and the constricting ache in his chest.

And with his body almost visibly shaking with the pain that surged through him, his thoughts turned to the rattle(s) in his pocket.

He could go.

He could escape the world and it's troubles. Just three or four pills and he'd eventually pass out on the floor beneath his sneakers without a care of the world clouding his mind.

But he couldn't. He wouldn't.

He couldn't hide from his guilt; even in an overdosed stupor nightmares would plague him, twisting in his mind, tearing through his soul and clawing at his heart.

He took the orange bottle from his pocket.

One for his hand.

Another for his thigh.

Then replaced the cap and put it back in his jacket pocket.

Some things you just can't escape.

He jolted and sucked a deep breath feeling a hand grip his shoulder.

"House." Foreman's voice sounded at his left side.

"What!?"

"I called your name." he replied with a soft but incredulous tone, "You looked out of it."

House regarded him with a frown, but holding it in place required too much energy. After a few seconds his eyes softened slightly, his shoulders slumping beneath Foreman's fingers.

"Come on." Foreman said quietly, moving ahead of him towards the elevators.

House was reluctant but none the less he followed Foreman to stand in front of the closed metal doors, watching as the small display indicated the elevators decent.

The world continued to buzz, and even though someone silent and still stood beside him House still felt alienated and alone.

His guilt was his own and no one else's. It was a burden that weighed heavily on his shoulders, heart and mind.

The elevator sounded a bell on its arrival.

"Cuddy is just clearing up some paperwork before showing Cameron's parents to her room." Foreman said stepping into the elevator and reaching for the panel of buttons.

House's cane moved swiftly, despite being in his un-preferred hand. It barred Forman's progress to the ICU floor and punched the button for diagnostics.

The doors closed ominously, silence all the more apparent as they where shielded from the noise of the clinic and the main lobby of the hospital.

"I think she'd like to see you." Foreman said glancing at House.

"How could you tell?" House replied darkly, his eyes serious, daring Foreman to reply. House's clipped tone and dark state stopped all further conversation for the rest of the short ride.

Silence etched through the air between them as the stepped out into corridor on the diagnostics floor. They made their way almost shoulder to shoulder towards House's office.

They tensed at the swish of his office door as it brought them that much closer to the scene of the crime.

House kept his eyes to the floor, until he realised that just a few meters away on the same carpet there was a small crimson stain of Cameron's blood.

His abdomen jerked as his body tried to empty his stomach. He smiled slightly and swallowed as he fought his body's wish to gag and throw up. He cast his eyes to the window in search of something that would not remind him of Cameron, but even as a cloudy sky filled his vision his thoughts dwelled entirely on the only female doctor under his wing.

A wing that apparently didn't offer much protection.

Only danger.

"How bad is it?" House said with a sigh as he collapsed into the chair behind his desk.

Foreman slumped onto the leather couch, screwing his eyes shut for a moment before answering in a soft un-emotional voice as if he were on auto-pilot.

"She understands speech, but she can't form sentences. Words are barely distinguishable; we don't know whether that is a part of the Aphasia or a possibility of Scanning Speech."

Something akin to hope swelled and shrunk with Foreman's answer.

"But all her basic motor functions are normal?"

"As far as we can tell, yes; she's walking okay, still a little shaky though. She can read and write without any difficulty what so ever. Her writing even looks like her own, allowing for the fact her right shoulder blade is actually fractured."

House nodded as he absorbed the new information.

"But there's still a lot we can't be sure of." Foreman continued unnecessarily. "Whether this is temporary or not. Or if there is any other damage. Not to mention Post-Traumatic Stress."

"I went to medical school too." His tone too dull to get a reaction from the sarcastic statement.

"She still seems like Cameron." Foreman said almost wistfully despite a frown that crinkled his brow. "I think you should ..."

"No." House barked angrily.

"Okay, okay." Foreman replied trying to calm House as he stood.

He turned back to his boss as he reached the door, his eyes sharp and unrelenting.

"You can't avoid it forever. You can't avoid her."

And he was gone.

* * *

A/N: Scanning Speech - Un-natural Speech characterized by Staccato-like Articulation, that sounds clipped because of unintentional pauses between syllables and skipped sounds in words 


	7. Chapter 7

The rest of the day passed in a quiet daze. Everyone else in the hospital seemed to have gotten the message that he didn't want to be disturbed.

Even Cuddy and Wilson did not dare to enter his office.

A silent routine of waiting for his hand and thigh to throb before swallowing a bitter pill then waiting for the throb to return once more.

Darkness settled around him as his mind continued turn and twist.

Always in motion, always in turmoil.

By the time he decided to pull himself from this never ending cycle of pain and escape the clock on his desk showed that it was almost two in the morning.

The throb returned once more. This time he took two pills and stood before heading in the direction of the elevators.

He found himself outside her room for the first time in twelve hours; he watched through the glass panel in the door.

Already the colour was returning to her cheeks, her breathing a steady constant rhythm the sight of which was entirely soothing.

Just looking upon her almost still form was enough to quiet his busy mind and truly calm him for the first time since leaving Cuddy's office. The chills in his spine driven away by a soft persistent warmth that came from knowing she was really alright.

He stood there for a long time, savouring the stillness in his mind that came from watching her slow breaths; so long that his thigh began to tingle in an un-pleasurable sort of way.

The tingle distracted him from the occupant of the gurney in the next room, making him now entirely aware of the presence of someone at his side.

Aware of the smell of fresh vending machine coffee and the exhausted posture of the 6ft, 60-somthing man at his side.

He stiffened but kept his eyes on Cameron's still form.

"She's doing okay, or so all the doctors keep telling me. Just tired." Mr Cameron's voice sounded.

House winced. "How long were you..."

"Long enough." He replied in a knowing sort of way.

House shifted uneasily, feeling the older man's gaze burn through him; but still he kept his eyes front.

"I'm sorry." House said with a slight frown, as if he were confused by his own words.

"It's not me you should be apologising to, son." He said in a fatherly tone which House was completely unaccustomed to.

He sighed softly and closed his eyes for a moment, opening them hastily lest anything should happen to the woman asleep in the room before him.

"Can't sleep?" House asked.

"Neither can you, apparently."

The corners of House's mouth twitched slightly.

"She's worried about you. She hasn't said anything... written anything I mean, but she is worried about you. I can see it in her eyes; she keeps staring out the door whenever she thinks I'm not looking." Cameron's father said quietly, "Go in."

"I... I can't." House replied.

As long as he kept his eye's ahead it felt as though he was talking to himself.

As long as he didn't look at the familiar caring gaze of the older man at his side he wouldn't brake down and fall into what would be almost welcoming arms.

"You take your time, son." he said as House felt yet another strong hand on his shoulder, "She'll be waiting."

The light weight of his hand was lifted from House's shoulders and Cameron's father moved forward towards the room in which his daughter slept.

"Mr Cameron?" House asked as he reached the door.

"Call me William." He replied turning back towards House.

House searched through his soft gaze for a moment before hooking his cane in the crook of his right arm, and extending his left hand somewhat shakily.

"Greg."

The older man's hand gripped his tightly.

Definitely in the military.

"Don't mention..." House very nearly pleaded.

William smiled softly and let his hand drop to his side.

"Not a word."


	8. Chapter 8

Two days passed without incident or change.

House had yet to leave the hospital. He spent nights watching Cameron sleep and attempting to sleep himself, on the couch in his office; it was painful, but he persisted with his martyrdom. His own twisted form of 'corporal mortification'.

The first day he spent his time trying to eat, dropping into Cuddy's office to get an update on Cameron's progress two or three (or a dozen) times, sneaking past her room careful to stay out of sight, lest Cameron should see him. Glancing inside he could see the room was awash with brightly colored balloons and presents wishing her a speedy recovery. It was also this day that Harpo, the guy with the huge swollen tongue that wasn't nearly as funny as it was two days ago, was discharged with anti-histamines and told not to eat wheat.

He woke up at four that night from a nightmare where he was locked in the conference room as it slowly filled with blood that threatened to drown him.

He didn't go back to sleep.

The second day he ate half a bagel and half a Ruben. He thanked Wilson when he walked unceremoniously into his office and dropped a backpack full of his clothes on his desk, despite the fact that Wilson said he was beginning to smell like a tramp. Dressed in fresh jeans, a new shirt and a crumpled but clean button down he watched from a carefully measured distance as she was moved from the ICU to her own room in the neurology department. On a trip to Cuddy's office she informed him that the cops had called; she stalled them for another few days in the hopes that Cameron would regain her speech.

Apparently the shooter had pleaded guilty and Cameron's statement was just a formality.

He wasn't going to bring up assault charges either.

He slept from four until seven that night, waking up in a cold sweat, his heart thumping out his chest, breathing ragged and shallow. The details of his nightmare were lost the instant his eyes opened, but it left him chilled to the bone.

Even after a hot shower and a fresh shirt, there was still a coolness that he couldn't escape. Something in him craved coffee, hoping that it would warm him but it reminded him too much of her. He settled on being cold.

Little did he know that it was this day that things would change.

It was a little after lunch (a half Ruben) and picking up a fresh prescription, on one of his calculated sweeps past Cameron's room.

He knew that Cameron's parents would be in the cafeteria around now, if their movements of the past two days were anything to go by.

Though someone did seem to be with her all the time, he was glad (and so was she) that they allowed her some time each day to face what happened in her own company. He'd watch her stare out of the window to the overcast skies of New Jersey as she thought it all over, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

Not once did he see one fall.

He didn't know whether it was a good or a bad thing; but something burned in him at the sight of her in so much pain. But still he watched from a distance, like some absent guardian angel.

He leaned against a pillar and glanced towards the room as he had done many times before.

But this time it was different.

She wasn't looking out to the world with a wistful look on her face and sadness brimming in her tearful eyes. Instead she smiled in a placating manor, but he wasn't fooled. The smile did not reach her once shinning eyes. They were dull and almost lifeless at the effort of her forced smile.

House tensed instantly.

Only then did he realise that she was not alone in her room.

His blood boiled, he saw red and before he realised what he was doing he pulled so hard at the glass door that it threatened to shatter as he entered her room.

Its occupants instantly became still.

"Get out!" he shouted, his eyes filled with a wild anger.

20 interns holding clipboards quivered before him, Richards' gaze no longer as cool as it was before.

"Doctor House, Allison said that..."

"No!" House shouted, his voice putting the glass in jeopardy once more, "She didn't say anything! And you call yourself a neurologist! You're not even a real doctor! How could you be when I saw you bullshit her parents with medical jargon when it came to telling them she had Aphasia. In your case, I think M.D. must stand for massive dip-shit because it sure as hell has nothing to do with medicine. She," he said pointing his cane towards a rather shocked Cameron, "is a real doctor, and she deserves to be treated as such instead of some lab rat for school kids to gawp over."

"Now get out." He repeated in a low intimidating tone.

Three interns ran for it while the others looked to the quivering wreck that was Richards.

"Those must be the only three with half a brain cell. The rest of you better pay attention. If you want to be even half as good a doctor as Doctor Cameron or I, I suggest that you don't listen to a single word this man says and leave this room."

Nothing happened.

"Now!" he bellowed.

The remaining interns clambered over each other to reach the exit, some landing in an undignified heap on the other side of the glass.

Richards stood aghast and staring at the menacing ferocious form that was House.

"Dicky, seems like your it." House said his voice low dangerous as he advanced on the neurologist.

The man seemed to trip over his own feet, crashing none too gently into a table before picking himself up and running from the room, House's dark gaze following his entire unsteady progress.

"Do you know how to close a door?!" House shouted after him.

At which point Richards sheepishly made his way back to the room and closed the door with a soft thud.

House exhaled deeply as anger seeped from his body.

He turned slowly to be faced with an amused smile and warm kind eyes.

He couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face in reply, the chill of the morning's nightmare long forgotten. Something almost like happiness seeped through him as if he'd just been given a vacation, or rather coming home after being away too long.

She lifted her chin just a little. _"Hey." _he imagined her soft voice sound.

"Hey."

He drew awkwardly closer, moving to her left side.

"You alright?" he asked as he hooked his cane on her bedside table, now leaning heavily on her bed for support allowing his thigh a short respite.

She nodded.

"Are you in pain? More morphine?"

She shook her head and reached across to the control panel with her left hand, just touching it but not changing the flow.

Smart girl. Self medication.

He stared into her eyes as she brought her hand back to her. They were suddenly filled with curiosity and concern as he felt her fingertips brush his right forearm.

Glancing down he saw his bandaged hand.

"It's nothing, a few broken bones but it was worth it. He," he said the word with such venom that there was no chance of the identity of 'he' being unknown, "now has a broken zygoma. Much more painful."

She smiled softly and shook her head at his antics, her left hand coming to rest near his.

"You're not even going to try to talk."

He saw a look of pure fear move through her eyes.

Little did he know that it had taken over five minutes for Richards and Foreman to calm Cameron after she discovered her Aphasia, a far cry from the seconds it had taken House to calm her after she discovered that she had been shot. Foreman was entirely glad that House at been at her side at that moment, knowing that if it were him he would be unable to calm her, the result of which would probably be her death.

House calmed her once more.

"Hey, it's okay." he said soothingly his eyes still connected with hers.

The warmth of those kind eyes returned albeit slowly.

House cleared his throat in an official sort of manor.

"Do you know who I am?"

She nodded. _"Yes, of course."_ her voice sounded in his head.

"What it the last thing you remember?"

She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, considering the paper and pen at her right hand.

Her right hand didn't move.

Instead he felt the long delicate fingers of her left hand move around his wrist. He offered no resistance as she lifted his hand to cup her right cheek as her hand moved to press against the back of his.

He smiled ever so slightly, letting his thumb brush the soft skin beneath it.

" Cam..." he started, and then sighed softly, "Allison, I'm so sorry."

He watched her smile as a mother would smile at a child who had just done something terribly naughty; no matter what the child did you couldn't stop loving them.

She moved his hand; bringing his palm to her lips for the softest gentlest kiss he'd ever been given.

His skin and flesh seared white hot, as if her touch, her kiss, was too pure for his sinful being.

He meant to pull his hand from her grasp and bring it to the safety of his dark shadow; he didn't want to be burned again.

Instead, his hand did slip from her fingers only to move to her chest brushing across the rough (yet healing) skin burned from the continued use of the defibrillator. Her fingers gripped his wrist once more, this time far tighter; he could feel his own pulse beating fast against her fingers.

Glancing up to her eyes they were filled with questioning and a hint of anger.

"I'm not going to take advantage of you. Unless you want me too, of course." he said with a wicked grin.

She smiled wildly, her stomach jerking slightly as she fought to hold in her laughter.

"I am a doctor you know." he said slightly softer.

She rolled her eyes and let her hand fall to her side.

His fingers continued to move softly across the red rectangular blemish on her alabaster skin. He smiled inwardly feeling goose-bumps form beneath his fingertips; a smile he could not contain when he heard the bleep of the heart monitor increase it's pace.

He chuckled as she looked incredulously at the traitorous machinery.

At the sound of his amusement, her eyes met his.

They shared a serious moment before she smiled softly and shrugged her left shoulder, she relaxed further in to the warm soft pillows but keeping her sharp eyes trained on his movements.

His eyes and fingers moved over her gown and around the swell of her breast, her heart beating fast beneath his fingertips before they moved across her lower ribs, he moved his fingertips along each one before the skin beneath her gown was no longer smooth. As he traced another rectangular shape he could imagine the red mark that marred her smooth skin and it tore at his heart. He rested his palm against her ribs wishing he could just brush it away.

With a sigh he cast his eyes to the corner of a bandage peeking out from under her gown. As delicately and carefully as possible he pushed at the thin paper-like material, always making sure that she was kept covered and he didn't disturb the stillness required for her shoulder blade to heal.

A pristine white shined up at him.

"Do you want me to redo that for you?" he asked quietly.

Both of them knew that the bandage had been replaced within the last few hours, but he needed this.

Needed to see the wound and the scar he'd leave on her body.

She waited for his gaze to meet hers before nodding slowly.

"Okay." he breathed.

Unhooking his cane he made his way to the other side of her bed, catching a wheeled stool on the way. He sat at her right side pulling at drawers and laying out equipment to clean and re-bandage the wound. He was almost loathe to put on the surgical glove, the warmth of her skin entirely enticing but he didn't want to put her in any more danger than he already had.

Even operating single-handed-ly he was meticulous and precise as ever; a frown constantly marring his scruffy features.

He carefully removed the bandage, muttering an apology when he saw her wince. He stared at the small red mark on her skin, no bigger than a dime, for a short eternity. It was surrounded bruises varying in color; vivid blues, dull yellows, sickly greens, dark purples, grim blacks and mucky browns. They wouldn't have needed an x-ray to show her shoulder blade was broken, the rainbow of evidence was all over her skin. Through thin latex he let his fingers trail over the colors, still able to feel the warmth of her healing flesh. The actual wound was a crimson red, black stitches neatly crossing it. He sighed softly before carefully brushing across it with a soaked cotton ball, returning to him tinged pink with traces of her blood. He glanced up, finding Cameron's curious gaze watching his fingers movements, something indistinguishable in her eyes.

He readied the new bandage and gently laid it over the wound, before he could dwell on that look too long. His fingers moved delicately around the edge of the bandage, encouraging the adhesive to take to her skin.

He tossed various papers and a single latex glove in the trash before rearranging her gown.

The sound of a pen scratching across paper reached his ears.

_I don't know why anyone complains about your bedside manor._

He saw her grin and smiled once again.

"Well, you sure seemed to enjoy it." he said, wagging his eyebrows in a suggestive manor.

Her incredulous look returned, now fixated on him; but that did not hide the tinge of red that crept across her cheeks.

"Rest up. My mail is growing over my desk and I haven't had any coffee in four days. I want you back on your feet soon."

She nodded mutedly, a few stray strands of hair falling across her face.

Without thinking he reached forward and brushed them to the side, before his hand cupped her cheek once more.

It had amazed him that after all she'd been through she still trusted him to check her wounds. Hell, he was amazed that she hadn't called to have him removed the second he stepped over the threshold of the room.

She amazed him.

He smiled, something akin to pride shining in his eyes before he turned and left, the door thudding softly behind him.


	9. Chapter 9

He turned from the glass door to be faced with and intrigued and slightly smug looking Wilson.

House immediately began to stare him down, which caused his one and only friend to grin widely.

He glanced through the glass to see that Cameron was now looking out the window as she normally would at that time of day.

But it was different.

Good different.

There was a hint of a smile around her mouth and a glint of hope in her eyes.

Somehow he'd done that.

And he couldn't understand how.

With a loud relenting sigh he turned and headed towards the elevator, completely unsurprised when he felt Wilson matching his awkward step at his side.

No words were spoken as they rode the elevator and stepped out onto their floor.

House headed into his office.

Wilson followed.

"So, are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Wilson said as the door let loose the slightest hiss as it closed.

"What?" House said faking ignorance as he flopped ungracefully onto his leather couch.

"You actually going into Cameron's room instead of hovering around the hallways like an overgrown bat." Wilson voice grated incredulously, his hands resting on his hips as he stood over his friend.

"Richards had interns gawping over like she was some lab rat." he muttered darkly, his quarrel with the 'good' doctor far from over. "She's a doctor, she deserves more respect."

"Like you respect her?"

Wilson repressed the urge to shiver at the sight of House's murderous stare.

"Okay, so you kicked out Richards and little interns," Wilson said as he began pacing, "...who are probably now all in the psyche-ward..."

"Where they should be." House mumbled.

"...but then you stuck around to chat and re-bandage her wound when we both know that was done just 90 minutes before. And the fact that you both looked almost happy for the first time in five days was what? Nothing?"

"I copped a feel, of course I was happy." House said, his entirely deadpan delivery confusing Wilson and causing his pacing to cease.

"How could... you... she..." He stuttered, mouth and eyes wide in shock.

" Wilson don't be so dense, will you? I know there is a degree worthy brain in there somewhere." House replied mockingly.

"It's almost a shame, all that sexual tension between you two was getting... well, tense."

House glared at him once more.

"Don't look at me like that. You were the one that hired her on the basis of her attractiveness."

House almost squirmed at Wilson's comment and after a moment he conceded, "She's attractive, yes." His voice rumbled through a clenched jaw and gritted teeth.

"But the way you've been acting these last few days..." Wilson's voice trailed off, almost as if he were afraid to continue.

"What?"

"It isn't just about guilt is it?"

"Yes," House said confidently, "It is."

Wilson decided that he was going to get to the bottom of this.

Finally.

"You said you cared. When I was wrapping your hand."

"I was in pain, I didn't..." House started, his gaze not meeting Wilson's.

"You seem lucid enough. More lucid than normal actually."

House remained silent, scrubbing his left hand across his face as a sign of frustration.

"House." Wilson said in that low warning tone of his.

Normally House was strong enough to resist his friend's silver tongue but he was too exhausted and in too much pain.

The kind Vicodin couldn't take away.

"No." House said quietly. His eyes downcast watching his fingers stretch and dig into his thigh.

"No, what?" Wilson prompted unsure of the word's context.

"No, it's not just guilt."

"Because she's a colleague?"

"Nope." He said with a self-mocking smile.

"Because you like her?"

House's fingers stopped their movements. He closed his eyes for a brief moment. His eyebrows met in a frown.

"No." He breathed; the sound barely above a whisper.

"But...oh. Oh!" Wilson was entirely shocked so much so that he lent against the glass walls, his legs unable to fully support him.

"Yeah." House said almost unhappily.

"You okay?"

"Nope, how can I be when I'm way in over my head. I don't... I don't want this."

"You can't stop it, not now. It will just hurt even more."

At this House turned his vicious gaze to his friend, blood thrumming quickly through his veins.

"How could this hurt anymore?! Tell me! I almost got her killed, the woman..." House stopped abruptly, anger seeping from him.

He sighed.

"No," He continued more softly, "I have to stop it. I have to keep her safe."

"She won't let you. And it will hurt more if you push this, because she'll just keep pushing back." Wilson pushed from the wall and moved toward the exit. "She won't give up that easily."

"I don't see how she could after..."

"She's not you." Wilson said with a sad smile before leaving.

* * *

House didn't leave his office for most of the rest of the day. 

At 11.43pm the phone on his desk rang loudly.

House was sitting at his desk, resting his forehead on his enlarged tennis ball somewhere between sleep and awake. Glancing up, slightly bleary eyed, he looked at the caller ID trying to recognise the number.

It was an internal call.

Fear coursed through him, so fast that he could almost feel his pupils shrinking. He pulled himself upright and eyed the ringing phone for an endless second before reaching forward an unsteady hand and grabbing the handset with far more force than he intended or was necessary.

"Yes?" he said, instantly annoyed with the shaky tone he heard.

"House..."

* * *

A/N: Big thanks to ShipperCrazed for inspiring this chapter. 


	10. Chapter 10

His name seemed to hang in the air for the briefest of seconds.

"I'll be right there." he said quickly.

Now fully alert he grabbed his cane and pulled himself to his full height. His legs shook beneath him threatening to collapse from a mix of exhaustion, stiffness and pain. Regardless he gripped his cane with white knuckles and moved far quicker than he should towards his office door.

His mind felt clear as he moved into the hallway, but his muscles felt groggy and stiff from too little sleep and too much time standing.

He stabbed the elevator call button with the end of his cane, cursing his leg for the fact he couldn't run through the corridors and clamber up the stairs two at a time to get there faster.

The elevator eventually arrived but the ride was slow. He spent an eternity trapped in a 6x6x7ft box bouncing his cane on the floor before frustration got the better of him and he lashed out at the metal doors, black rubber scuffs spreading like a rash over the cool steel.

He was out the elevator before the doors had fully opened.

He lurched through the halls and around corners until he came to her room.

He stopped, his left hand resting on the door.

Behind him were the nurses' station and a dark dim empty corridor, illuminated by the ethereal glow of computer screens and a few desk lamps. Everything was still, even the small number of staff the busied themselves with menial tasks.

Everything was still.

Even him.

But he was shaking inside.

He pulled at the glass door, sliding it to the side before stepping through a curtain of vertical blinds.

The warmth struck him instantly.

The warmth of the room, warmth of the soft light and the warmth of her eyes.

He closed the door softly behind him, his urgency drained from him now that he was finally here.

He stepped slowly and carefully to her bedside, before gratefully taking a seat. He sat so close that his knees almost touched the frame of the bed, now lower than it was that afternoon.

He felt weary to his very core and every bit of his age as he sat there. He scrubbed his left hand across his face, revealing his tiredness before letting his eyes settle on Cameron.

She looked as tired as he felt but she wore it with much more grace. She smiled softly at him, her eyes threatening to let tears fall.

He smiled back, "Hey."

"Hey." she replied.

House sighed in relief, his eyes closed as he leaned closer to her. "I was worried it might have been a dream."

Her smile widened before becoming serious.

"House."

He turned his gaze towards her. At the sight of the seriousness in her eyes he swallowed, afraid of what she might say.

Her left had reached forward and cupped his stubble covered jaw with her delicately soft fingers.

"It wasn't your fault."

Something inside him snapped.

He could almost physically feel the crack that shuddered through his body.

It was like physiotherapy. You have a back problem and you have for five years, the slightest movement causing you infinite amounts of pain. The physiotherapist works softly and gently at the pain, the lays you down before pushing in just the right way. You scream at the agony that rips through your entire body, then bliss, relief and sheer paradise.

She had taken his heart in those soft gentle hands of hers and twisted.

"It wasn't your fault." she repeated just as softly.

Tears he had fought so hard to hide for years welled in his eyes. Tears he still wanted to hide.

He leaned further forward, his face coming to rest on the flat of her stomach. His left arm reached around her hips, gripping tightly as if he would never let go. The soft fingers that once curled around his jaw trailed through his messy hair.

There was no sound as his tears seeped through blankets and pooled against her stomach; his sobs were silent as his shoulders shook. She offered no words knowing they could give little comfort, her own tears pouring down her cheeks.

They cried for themselves, cried for each other, cried for the pains of the past and the uncertainties of the future.

Eventually, when there no tears left to cry sleep threatened to overtake them.

His head still resting on her stomach he glanced up into her eyes to find them watching him; stains of tears trailing over her skin.

He smiled against her stomach, his arm still around her hips almost afraid to let go; that he would lose this, lose the fact that he was feeling for the first time in so long.

His eyes closed, the exhaustion of five years of heartache catching up with him, as he was lulled to sleep with the caring movements of her fingers through his hair.

And even as his breathing became even and regular and his heart rate slowed his hold on her was just as strong.

* * *

A/N: Just a short note to say ShipperCrazed was not responsible for the cliffhanger in the last chapter - that was all my doing. And thanks for all your wonderful reviews! 


	11. Chapter 11

He woke slowly, enjoying the feel of soft hands move through his hair.

His left arm and head felt wonderfully warm and well rested. However the rest of his body felt uncomfortably cool and stiff.

He groaned softly against his warm soft pillow, his fingers curling softly around its curves.

"Morning," it replied softly.

His eyelids flickered momentarily in the cool light of the morning that flooded the room. Through a single and barely opened eye he looked upon the well rested form of Allison Cameron. It was a strange feeling to him, the content he felt with her delicate smile being the first thing he looked upon.

"Morning." he murmured against her abdomen.

He was reluctant to move but his right side was entirely in agony. He lifted his head slowly, fighting the urge to lay his head back down, his eyes still adjusting to the ample light. The weight of his hand passed over her flat taught stomach, causing Cameron shiver almost visibly but he felt it beneath his nimble fingers.

He reached deep into his jeans pocket for the two Vicodin pills he'd put there yesterday, now hidden between the lint and fluff that had gathered in the pocket. As his fingers out pulled two pills and some blue colored fluff he saw Cameron reach across to her morphine drip and up the flow by a couple of notches.

"Don't suppose there's a spare one of those lying around here?" House said picking out white from blue and swallowing his pills.

"Jealous?" She replied with a smirk.

"Extremely." he said with a soft smile.

The sat quietly as the sounds in the hallway increased and the hospital awoke around them. House glanced around the room looking anywhere but the inquisitive gaze of Cameron's cool blue eyes. Despite the fact that he refused to meet her gaze he had to concede the fact that the situation wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as he imagined.

The conversation was almost easy and being in her presence was almost soothing.

"I take it from the distinct lack of neurologists in the room you haven't talked to anyone else." He said cocking his head slightly.

"No. I had to..." she paused trying to find the right words, "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You were worried about me?" he asked incredulously, a warmth in him glowing brighter though he'd never show it, "You were the one that almost died because of me..."

"It wasn't your fault." she said exasperated.

"I shot you!" he said loudly in reply.

"You saved me!" she said louder.

House frowned and gulped, his gaze never wavering from hers seeking out her thoughts. But all he found was truth.

He sighed.

"All I'm saying is your niceness has reached new levels. It's almost pathetic." He said as if he had a bitter taste in his mouth, but his eyes glinted with a hidden smile.

Cameron rolled her eyes and smirked, "Almost?"

"It would be oh-so-easy to kick you now you're down, but I did sort of put you there."

"You're going easy on me?" she said almost grinning, "And just when I feel up to some verbal sparring too. We have to make sure my vocabulary hasn't been compromised."

"After that sentence I highly doubt it, and don't worry I'll be cutting you down with my extremely witty and sarcastic retorts in no time." he said a smile still shinning in his eyes.

"I might have a few come backs of my own." she said warningly, pointing at him with her left hand.

"I'll have none of that finger pointing." he said reaching out and taking a hold of that accusing hand. Neither of them let go as their palms pressed against each other and fell together to the soft mattress.

He couldn't let go.

He didn't want to let go.

"You'll have some time to think them up," He continued, "but the one thing you have to know it's all about the delivery."

"I'll keep that in mind." she said warmly, her fingers moving gently against his wrist.

The glass door of the room slid open.

"Well, good morning." William Cameron said as he stepped into the room, his wife following close behind. Both of them looking equally shocked to see the presence of one Doctor Gregory House in the room.

"Yes, it is." Cameron replied with a wide grin, "Hi mom, dad."

The presence of one Doctor Gregory House was almost completely forgotten.

Almost.

The two rushed forward with such speed that House barely had time to remember that his hand still held Cameron's.

Cameron's mom quickly embraced her daughter in a careful hug tears springing to her eyes. William stood next to his chair looking proudly into his daughters eyes. The nervous smile on her face told House that William had caught a glimpse of their clasped hands.

Which was House's cue to high tail it out of there.

He reached for his cane with his now empty hand and quickly vacated his chair. Turning he was faced with the shorter yet still formidable form of Cameron's dad standing before him and blocking his path.

"I told you she was worried about you." he said with a soft smile and a pat on the shoulder, before moving around him and closer to his wife and daughter.

House moved silently and swiftly to the door.

Glancing back he saw Cameron's gaze fixed on him from between a muddle of parental arms, her smile wide.

"Later." he mouthed a silent promise.

At this she grinned and nodded slightly before she began talking animatedly to her tearful mother and glad father.

She was alive, she could talk and she was still Cameron.

The worst was over.

Wasn't it?

* * *

A/N: More? Or should I leave it there? 


	12. Chapter 12

House moved to the nurse's station and paged Foreman and Chase knowing they'd already be in the building.

He grinned as he sent, "Cameron STAT" and waited in the shadows to watch them exit the elevator and sprint down the hall to burst loudly into her room, resulting in a shrieking sound from Cameron's mom and causing Cameron to giggle wildly.

They each broke into grins before they could even begin to think of becoming angry with him.

Sneaking into the now empty elevator he made his way towards Cuddy's office.

Glancing down he saw black marks marring the metal doors of the elevator, the emotions he felt as he made them returned to him with such force he almost lost his balance as the elevator began moving. There was a great deal he had to think about, but he was thankful at least that Cameron showed signs of recovering.

Before he could dwell too long on thoughts of his frantic behaviour and where it came from, the elevator doors opened to reveal the hospital lobby in the relative quiet of the morning.

"I hope you've taken Richards off Cameron's case." House said loudly as he burst into Cuddy's office.

Cuddy jerked slightly at the sound of her office door crashing against a filing cabinet, the coffee she held in her hand sloshed beneath the rim in a threatening manor over the rash of paper over her desk i.e. the accounting reports she had been reviewing. With a deep sigh she settled the mug at the corner of her desk where it would stay out of trouble and not threaten to make the financial benefits of the diagnostics department disappear beneath the a stain of the thick brown sweetened liquid.

"Yes, I did it yesterday after I he came to me requesting vacation time so he could be away from you." she said exasperatedly glancing at the loud intruder to her office as he pulled the door shut with his cane, an almost sheepish smile on his face.

Looking closer she saw his eyes were not as dull as they had been the previous four days; a hint of hope shone in those icy depths.

He looked... lighter if that was the right word to describe it, as if some weight had been taken from his already heavily laden shoulders.

"What do you know, he does have a functioning brain cell." he muttered sarcastically as he moved further into the room.

"You said he was a good doctor not even four days ago." she said in a flustered tone.

House slumped into the chair before her desk, his stiff un-rested limbs glad of a momentary reprieve and softness.

"That was before he messed up telling Cameron's parents what was wrong and having her gawped at like a lab rat." Every word from his mouth was laced with venom and enmity, a furious fire burned in his gaze as he thumped his cane viciously against the thick plush carpet of the office.

Animosity poured from him in waves and made her skin tingle apprehensively.

Cuddy was eternally glad that that gaze was not currently fixed on her; the very idea of being the target of such visible anger chilled her to the bone. Even more, she knew that this was just a small percentage of the anger he'd displayed yesterday which made Richards actions afterwards all the more understandable.

"I'll have you know I wasn't happy with that either." she said in a calming tone, attempting make sure she would not be in the receiving end of House's fury. "He should have spoken to you and Dr Cameron."

His slightly softened, though still penetrating, gaze fixed on her as if trying to discern truth in her words. A moment later he sighed and with the expelled air the anger rolled from him and dissipated.

Cuddy watched the change with a strange sort of fascination as the tension seeped from his shoulders and jaw and the previously noted light returned to his eyes.

A raging feral creature replaced with a depressed addict showing signs of hope.

"Alright." he said quietly before smiling in a conspiring way, "So, how scared was he?"

"He's taking three weeks." Cuddy replied, unable to hide her smirk.

"Good."

House was more than happy to hear that the insensitive blithering idiot would be far, far away from Cameron while she recovered.

House may often be insensitive but he rambled in an ingenious sort of way.

"And the interns..." she started in an official tone.

"Those priceless faces." he said almost wistfully, a far away look in his eyes.

"I had all twenty of them in here asking if you had any internships for next year."

Pure fear streaked through his eyes.

"No. No. No. And no."

"But House..." her voice taking on a grating and whining tone.

"No, I have my team." he said in a concluding manor.

"I'd cut down your clinic hours." she bargained.

House grimaced and sighed; then grumbled, "I'll think about it."

A silence spun between them, interrupted only by the soft thuds of House's cane on the carpet.

Cuddy could tell he had something more to say, normally she'd push the issue but she had time; time that she was more than willing to spare the man before her given the events of the past few days.

She'd never admit it, but she was almost content to see him in her office bugging her once more.

It was a sign of things returning to normality.

So, she turned back to the papers on her desk, letting him think and ponder as his gaze remained fixed on the shaft of wood that twisted between his nimble fingers.

The silence was broken around two minutes later.

"Cameron's talking."

"Oh!" Cuddy exclaimed loudly, unable to contain her joy, "That's fantastic!"

"Yeah." House said quietly, his eyes softening and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"When?" Cuddy questioned him, her tone still excited.

"La..." he winced slightly, the rhythmic thumping of his cane stopping momentarily. "This morning."

"Last night?" she asked, her brows arching curiously.

"It was technically morning." he replied to his shoes, not sure if he even wanted to look in her eyes.

Almost afraid of what he might see staring back at him.

"What time?" she said with a suspicious tone.

"About a minute past midnight." he said with a nonchalant shrug.

"House!" she admonished, for both the lateness of the hour and the lateness of divulging the information to her.

He glanced at her with the sound of her shrill voice.

"Don't look at me like that!" he said incredulously.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Cuddy said in an exasperated tone.

"She didn't tell anyone either." He whined childishly.

Cuddy paused.

There was something in his voice, something indistinguishable. She could think of a few reasons why Cameron would talk to House first, and only House, none of which would do well under scrutiny and questioning.

She rolled her eyes which House took as a sign of her accepting his excuse and the end of the conversation.

He stood, with a slight wince and a grunt, and moved towards the exit.

"House."

He turned as his hand reached the door handle, tipping his chin as a sign for her to continue.

"Is she okay?" she asked, her tone so soft the words struggled to carry themselves across the room

"Think so." he replied with a slight nod, "Still a few more neurological tests to do now we can get more thorough answers, but it's nothing Foreman can't handle."

"Yes, but is she okay?" she spoke more confidently though her tone was more apprehensive and filled with concern.

Physically Cameron may be okay, but emotionally was a whole different ball game.

"I hope so." he said quietly unsure if Cuddy heard the words or not.

She did.

"Go and see for yourself." he said louder with a dismissive wave of his hand before walking out the door.

"You still owe me clinic hours, House." her words followed him, her smile evident in the sound.

* * *

"Come on, breakfast." House said stepping into Wilson's office, a familiar rattle in his hands as he shook a white pill into his palm, his well rested mind demanding reprieve from the aches and pains of his tired and stiff body. 

"Still wearing yesterday's clothes, I see." Wilson replied with a glance, "Did I not bring you enough?"

"I haven't changed yet." House said matter-of-factly. "Breakfast."

"I take it I'm paying." he replied with a soft resounding sigh.

"Well actually I was going to make it my treat but if you..."

"No, no, by all means." Wilson said getting up from his chair and following House into the hallway, "So, what's the special occasion?"

"Let's do this on a full stomach, or at least attempting to fill it." House said making his way to the elevator.

* * *

"She's talking." House said with a smile the moment they sat at a table in a quiet corner of the cafeteria. 

Wilson sat next to him and placed the tray with both their breakfasts on the table; all paid for by House, of course

"Cameron?" he asked stirring sweetener into his coffee.

"No, your Moma." he said in a sarcastic tone and rolling his eyes, "Of course, Cameron."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "When?" he asked enquiringly.

"Last night." House replied knowing that Wilson would hear that tale from Cuddy later anyway.

"Last night?" Wilson asked, his eyebrows rising dubiously.

"Technically it was morning." House muttered through a mouthful of toast as his friend absorbed the new information.

"What happened?"

House took a moment to swallow his mouthful of toast, glad that his stomach seemed egger for the nourishment, before washing it down with a swig of coffee. Again he was glad that the taste and smell was once again welcomed by his caffeine deprived body.

Perhaps it had something to do with last night.

"She called me in my office."

"I thought I saw cane marks on the elevator." Wilson muttered knowingly, finding it all too easy to imagine his hurry to reach her.

House rolled his eyes and stared pointedly at his friend.

"Continue." Wilson said with a soft smile, picking at a fruit salad.

There was a small pause.

"She said it wasn't my fault." House stared at his coffee once more, a slight frown on his features as his fingers played along the handle of the warmed mug.

"And...?"

"And what?" House replied looking up to find that his friend was eyeing him curiously.

"And what happened after that? What did you say back?" Wilson replied desperate to find out

House took his time replying

"I think the next words after that were, 'morning'." he said in a measured tone, feigning nonchalance and filling his mouth with toast once more.

Wilson frowned slightly. "You were in there the whole night?"

"Yup." House mumbled, his jaw still working at the toasted bread.

"Not saying anything?" he continued a sly grin forming around his mouth.

House swallowed, then spoke in a cynical tone, "Jimmy, mind out of the gutter please."

"So, what happened?" Wilson replied quiet and entirely serious. "Exactly." He added not wanting to miss a detail.

"I fell asleep."

"Where?" Wilson asked; his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"In a chair, of course." he replied patronizingly, rolling his eyes once more.

"Uh-huh." he said in a knowing tone with a smug smile.

"If you don't believe me, ask Cameron."

"Oh, I will." Wilson continued that smile still tugging at his lips, "I just want to get your side of the story first."

"I fell asleep. In a chair. That's it." he said brushing the crumbs from his hand against his shirt and taking up his coffee mug once more.

"That's it?" Wilson asked, unwilling to believe that was the end of it.

House didn't answer; he didn't even look him in the eye. Instead he stared deep into the depths of his coffee wishing he could disappear.

The silence told Wilson all he needed to know.

"What happened?" he probed further in a childish tone.

"I'm not going to tell you if you ever make that horrific whiney noise again." House said the sound of annoyance obvious in his voice.

"So, something did happen." Wilson replied, the sly grin creeping across his features once more.

"Oy." House said with a sigh before scrubbing his hand across his face.

"House." Wilson whined.

"There's that tone again." House said with his own sly smile.

"Aw come on."

"Nope, see you later." House said standing and making his way to the exit.

"Well, thanks for breakfast anyway." Wilson called after him, waving a fork pierced strawberry as evidence.

Wilson sat there chewing thoughtfully at his fruit salad for a few minutes before he could no longer contain his thirst for knowledge and made his way swiftly to Cameron's room, hoping to wish her well and find out what his friend wouldn't tell him.

However he severely doubted that he would hear a much different story coming form Cameron, despite her returned ability to communicate he almost instinctively knew she would be just as tight lipped as his cane wielding friend.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the wait on this one folks. I needed a bit of a break and I lost the first draft and had to start again (such a pain in the ass). Hope none of you were too worried after the suggestion of finishing at the end of the last chapter. I can assure you we still have a little ( maybe more ) to come. mishy. 


	13. Chapter 13

House had spent almost an hour beneath the hot spray of the shower.

It did wonders for his aching tired limbs but very little for his troubled mind.

House couldn't believe he'd spent the night nestled against Cameron's warm body. Let alone sobbing, albeit silently, against her stomach while her soft hand moved soothingly through his hair.

Gregory House didn't cry. Gregory House didn't need soothing.

And yet after the strain of the past week that was exactly what he needed: soothing.

He could think of nothing more soothing that curling against her body once more.

A thought that only served to trouble him further.

And so, with warm and almost limber limbs he stepped from beneath the hot spray, his head hanging slightly from the weight of his thoughts.

After his shower House retired to the sanctuary of his office once more, his thoughts rampaging and relentless in his mind.

Around ten, he'd had enough of thinking and the cramp in his leg built to a nagging ache despite the fact he'd taken two Vicodin not half an hour previous. He paced the corridor outside his office for at least 20 minutes, all the while felling somewhat bereft with out his gaggle of underlings flocking behind him.

His thoughts still persisted.

With a resounding sigh he moved to the elevator and rode it to Cameron's floor.

Rounding the corner he saw a swarm of bodies in the room that was to be his intended destination.

Far too many people, far too many questions.

He backtracked somewhat so that he leant heavily against the pillar at the corner of the nurses station, almost entirely concealed by it, but his head peered around the edge as he continued to observe the room and the many people in it.

Mr and Mrs Cameron sat vigilant at Cameron's bedside while Foreman and Chase stood at the foot of her bed, they were all smiling despite the fact that he could tell that they were discussing the serious topic of her recovery.

Cameron looked tired, her blinking was slow and her smile almost wistful.

He wondered for the first time exactly how much sleep she'd gotten last night; she was awake when he fell asleep and awake when he woke. How long had she sat there just soothing him, running those gentle hands of hers through his hair.

The door of the room opened, Foreman and Chase nodding to Cameron's parents before smiling at her with promises of visiting later.

House glanced at those left in the room as Foreman slid the door closed behind him. William looked distinctly irritated and almost protective as he watched the doctors exit the room.

As his two healthy underlings approached he noticed that Chase looked quietly uncomfortable and Foreman a little smug; it seemed William Cameron had taken somewhat of a dislike to the wombat.

House smiled, before resuming his normal frown as they drew closer.

"Hey." Foreman greeted in a professional tone as he and Chase came to a stop before him.

Chase remained stubbornly silent. The fury he had displayed towards House just a few short days ago bubbled quietly beneath the surface, though with nothing but a glance House could tell that both Cameron and Foreman had tried to talk some sense into him to some degree of success.

"Hey." House replied, completely ignoring the dark look the Chase fixed on him.

"Thank you for the page, by the way." Foreman said with a roll of his eyes.

"Nothing like a healthy jog in the morning," he replied in an overly cheery tone, "I would have joined you but you know the whole pain and cane thing I've got going on doesn't mix well with jogging. Plus if I don't keep up this cripple charade I won't get any more of Cuddy's sweet guilty ass." He glanced around as if to make sure Cuddy wasn't about to walk in on their conversation, "It's like make up sex on demand." he stage whispered.

Despite Chase's anger he looked equally disgusted and disgruntled as Foreman, their faces contorted unpleasantly as they tried to remove unwanted thoughts.

"So, how did the tests go?" House asked in a serious tone as soon as the evil glint returned to Chase's eyes.

"Everything seems normal. Her short-term and long term memory is fine. She's a little unsteady on her feet but I think that's more to do with lying in bed nearly 24 hours a day for the last four days than anything neurological."

House grunted slightly in a non-committal manor.

"She's on a pretty low dose of morphine right now, we think she'd do best switching to regular pain killers tomorrow morning. She seemed to agree, there's little pain from her actual wound only really from her shoulder, which seems to be healing well now that we've got it in a sling."

"Fine." he mumbled agreeing with the younger doctor, "That all?"

"Well, yeah." Foreman answered slightly confused. _What else did he expect?_ he thought.

"Richards is off the case," House announced, "You two will be her attending as long as Cuddy gives the okay."

At this both of them frowned slightly.

"But..." Chase started, speaking for the first time during the entire exchange looking completely confused.

House stared darkly.

"Go forth. Do clinic, nurses you've been chasing for weeks or paperwork; just something. Cuddy's being lenient at the moment so you might want to milk it for all it's worth."

They nodded, curiosity still brimming in their eyes as they turned from him.

Cameron's parents left soon after with Cameron calling from her bed as they reached the door, "Bring me back something edible."

House was careful to keep out of sight as the Cameron's made their way past him to the elevator, in their hands he could see a list and a key, no doubt instructions on what home comforts she required. He watched them smile and talk as they waited for it to arrive, spirits high with the uplifting sound of their daughter's voice still ringing in their ears.

Despite this, he saw something guarded in their eyes.

They knew.

They knew that the emotional effects of what happened where yet to come. And in someone that normally felt so deeply it was a fearsome thing to look forward to.

The elevator arrived; he watched them become lost in a sea of bodies before the metal doors hid them from sight.

"House." a voice called from behind him. He turned silently, glancing from his hiding place to see Cameron standing into doorway of her room her gaze focused on him, "House, I know you there."

"Damn, stupid cane won't stay behind the pillar where it's supposed to." he said to himself, though loud enough for Cameron to hear as he moved from his hiding place toward a smug looking Doctor.

"Hello." she said with a soft warm smile.

"Don't 'hello' me, what are you doing out of bed?!" he admonished.

As she stood there, half in the room, half in the hallway, her knuckles turning white around the thin IV stand looking far more exhausted than she did moments before.

Then again she had been lying in bed at the time.

"Getting you to talk to me," she said as if it where the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wish granted, now back in bed." he said in a mock angry tone pointing at the empty gurney, the glimmer of mirth and the flash of worry in his eyes showing his actual emotions.

"Fine," she grumbled a slight smirk around her mouth as she turned from him and wheeled her IV stand back into the room.

House followed her into the room and pulled the door closed behind him.

At which point he noticed something for the first time.

"Now, why aren't you in a regular gown." he asked, a smile evident in his voice, as she reached the side of the bed.

"Not a chance in hell I'm flashing my ass to the people I have to work with, let alone you." she said sitting on the edge, struggling to swing her legs up and under the sheets and get comfortable.

All he wanted to do was move closer to her and help her, but he knew both his and her pride would be worse for it.

"I'm truly hurt!" he said bringing his bandaged empty hand to his heart, before smirking wildly, the look of innocence dissolved in milliseconds "Anyway, why would you want to hide it, it's one of your best features."

"You've never seen 'it'." she said dismissively, though she was unable to conceal the blush that spread across her cheeks.

"As far as you're aware." he murmured his back to her as he picked up her chart.

"House!" she shouted indignantly, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Cameron!" he replied in a mocking squeal, making his unsteady way towards her. He chart tucked under his right arm.

Cameron bit her lip to contain her laughter, but even from the other side of the room House could see her shaking slightly, no doubt the cause of some pain, but even so, she looked happy.

"One of my best features?" she said once her shaking had subsided, a knowing smile on her face.

"Don't push it." he said slumping into the chair he'd spent the night in, stretching back and propping his crossed ankles on the edge of her bed.

Silence spun between them, broken only by the soft mutterings of House as he looked over various drugs and dosages.

"Interesting reading?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Hmm." House answered distractedly, his eyes scanning the pages of her file, his left hand flicking the thin pages back and forth.

"House." she said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"What?"

"That's **_my_** chart."

"I know."

"House." she said, her voice low and warning.

"I want to check that Foreman wasn't lying to me."

"Why would he do that?"

"To protect me, to protect you, so he feels important. I don't know." He answered without thinking, going over her neurological tests once more.

He told himself that he was just being thorough.

"To protect you?" she asked her tone confused and inquisitive.

_Shit,_ House thought.

"Yes, you." he replied his tone still distant, but even he could pick up the desperate undercurrent in his voice.

"No, you."

"Yes, you."

"No, you said 'to protect me'." she replied getting slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, to protect you." his voice shaking slightly from the desperate attempt to keep his tone even and distant.

"House!" she growled.

"You know I'm starting to think that Foreman might be wrong about the all clear." he said looking up from his reading, his eyes narrowed and a knowing smile across his lips.

She ducked her head and sighed gently, nestling further into the soft embrace of the pillows stacked behind her.

Her eyes connected with his for the slightest moment.

She smiled softly.

Instantly he could tell that she wasn't about to forget his slip.

_To protect me. _

As if Foreman would ever be that observant or caring to lie to him in kindness.

When his thoughts refocused on the room he noticed Cameron's eyes were closed and her breathing slow.

He began to uncross his ankles.

"Stay." She mumbled sleepily.

House froze.

He was completely torn, half of him wanting to hobble away as fast as possible. But the other half, it wanted to protect, to soothe and to repay for previous night, no doubt one of the reasons for her tiredness.

He crossed his ankles once more and settled further into the chair, she smiled softly and fell asleep moments later.

He watched her sleep for the longest time.

Watched as the cares and agonies of the world slipped away as she disappeared into a land hopefully free of nightmares.

This was the last day she would sleep with the aid of morphine, tomorrow night she'd be on her own.

He planned to change that.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the wait once more. The next chapter should be up sooner though. Thanks, M x 


	14. Chapter 14

House was still flicking through Cameron's chart, now perusing her through her past, when he felt four fingers and a thumb curl around his right ankle.

"You know, your voice works now. You don't have to touch me to get my attention." he said smirking, a warmth in his voice as he continued to read Cameron's file.

She smiled softly, her eyes glinting with mischief.

He looked up at her sleepy smile, noting that she had slept for little more than 40 minutes but it looked as though it had done her the world of good. He smiled, some of the worry draining from his eyes.

"Or maybe you just want to get you hands on me, don't suppose you'd be up for giving me a foot massage while you're there?"

She smiled almost devilishly.

Her fingertips brushed his cotton covered ankle and trailed upwards beneath his jeans, the tip of a single finger reached the skin of his calf before her touch was gone altogether, her hand now resting innocently on the mattress.

Looking to her face he saw her cheeks where blushing furiously and a shy smile around her mouth.

"Bold move." he said quietly and in an ambiguous tone, "So, what do you want me for? I mean I know you want me but was there anything you might need that would require sexually harassing your boss to get his attention?"

"That was not sexual harassment." she argued, now fully awake.

"Was too." he replied almost childishly.

"If you wanted to plead sexual harassment you should have done it on our date, not while I'm practically incapacitated on a hospital bed."

"But that's exactly why you're doing it now," he said in a knowing tone, "No one else would think that innocent, practically incapacitated Cameron would assault her boss while she's a patient."

"They wouldn't think it any other time either." she insisted defensively.

"And yet," he paused slightly for effect, "None of this explains why your hand was under my jeans."

"What **_would_** explain why your hand was under his jeans?"

They both looked up to see the figure of William Cameron standing in the doorway, a rucksack across his shoulders and an almost stern look on his face.

House paled slightly while Cameron blushed furiously once more.

_Damn those quiet doors_, House thought as he pulled his legs from the mattress as inconspicuously as possible.

Which was hardly inconspicuous at all.

"Um..." Cameron mumbled.

"You're in trouble now." House said in a conspiring whisper.

"I don't think you'll get let off that easily either." she replied just as quietly despite the fact they both knew that the other person in the room could hear them perfectly well.

William shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips as he stepped further into the room dropping the rucksack to the floor. "It's fine Allie. Just be glad your mother never heard any of this conversation."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"I've only been in this hospital two days and there's enough buzz around here for me to know something is going on between you two. So, just save the 'under pants' stuff until you're better, okay? I'm going to stall your mother a little, you've got five minutes tops."

He smiled almost fondly before disappearing from the room leaving two rather confused and slightly embarrassed doctors behind.

"You have interesting parents." House remarked after a moment's silence still staring at the place that William Cameron once occupied.

"Tell me about it." she muttered.

He frowned, "It's a bit strange actually." he said almost cryptically.

"Yeah, it is." she agreed, turning her gaze from the hallway to the man at her bedside.

"How the hell did you know what I was talking about?" he asked incredulously, "Can you read my mind or something?"

"You were thinking it's strange that our parents are so similar and yet so different. You think it's strange that with just those few differences that I'd turn out to be your complete opposite and yet exactly the same."

"Ahh!" He yelped.

"What?" Cameron asked looking concerned and worried.

"You **_can_** read my mind."

Cameron giggled, before wincing slightly at the pain the movement caused. House couldn't help but wince in sympathy before lifting the heals of hands to his eyes and shaking his head slightly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"Trying not to think of you tied down in tight black leather."

"House!" she admonished.

He pulled his hands from his face revealing a look of amusement.

"What? It's true! I guess it's too late since I already told you what I was thinking about." He grinned lecherously, "Do you want details?"

"Maybe later," she said with a playful smile, surprising him more than a little, "My dad did say we only had five minutes."

"What to do in only five minutes?" House said thoughtfully, mirth glittering in his eyes.

Despite the humour intended and uneasy silence fell; one filled with an almost palpable tension.

"House..." Cameron started, a stark seriousness in her voice.

"What did you want?" House asked in a soft tone.

He wasn't ready.

"What?" Cameron asked confused.

"When you touched me."

"Oh, umm... a TV." Cameron said unconvincingly.

"A TV?" he said disbelieving.

"Yeah," she said with more conviction, "These four walls are nice and all but it gets a little boring."

"I thought you were into books rather than TV."

"What can I say, there's a lot you don't know about me."

"Yes, there is." He said in a distant tone.

Another silence descended; thankfully it was a little easier than the previous one.

"My dad likes you." Cameron said a moment later, contemplating the exchange with her father.

"Well, he's handsome and all but tell your dad I'm not interested. He's not my type."

"He hates Chase." She continued with a smile, though still entirely serious.

"Who wouldn't?" He mumbled.

"Despises Richards."

"So do I." His voice spiteful.

"And barely respects Foreman."

"Is he racist?"

"But he likes you." she waited for his gaze to meet hers before she said in a quiet voice, "What did you say to him?"

"What? When?" he said in a defensive tone, his eyes narrowing as he closed the file still seated on his lap before tossing it frustrated onto her bedside cabinet.

"Whenever."

He didn't answer her. He lowered his gaze to his feet. There was nothing really to hide but he was uncomfortable with the fact that she could so easily deduce he had spoken to her father while she'd slept.

He had stood for almost an hour staring at her, unable to determine when her father came to a stand next to him until a shot of pain through his thigh.

It wasn't something he wanted to be public knowledge, certainly not. But he wasn't sure if he wanted her to know. He wasn't sure he even wanted to remember.

"What did you do?" she asked in a soothing gentle voice.

"Are you accusing me of something?" he said defensively, trying to cross his arms across his chest but it was rather impossible with a broken hand.

"No. My dad always said that words lie, actions don't."

Their gazes locked. House wanted to look away, wanted to hide but her eyes captivated him and made him want to confess everything.

He managed to hold his tongue, barely, before something cut through the tension in the room

"Doctor House." Cameron's mother said by way of greeting as she bustled into the room, holding a bag of foods and a cardboard tray of three cups of coffee.

_That door needs a bell on it_, House thought.

"Mrs Cameron." House replied.

"Call me Martha, please. Mrs Cameron sounds so old." she said with a small laugh that reminded him of his non-date with her daughter.

"You don't look a day over forty." he said in a cheeky yet sincere tone.

"Stop hitting on my mom." Cameron admonished with a frown, a darkened hint in her normally sweet voice.

"Allie, don't worry, I'm not planning on trading in your father anytime soon." she said stepping into the room, glancing lovingly back at her husband.

"I hope not." he said before kissing her sweetly, "Anyway, I'm not sure that it was me she was worried about." he stage whispered.

"Ah." Martha Cameron said in a knowing tone that only mothers can master as she cast a more critical eye over House.

The two parents then busied themselves with the various bags they had brought with them and emptying the rucksack in to the dresser in the room.

"Hide me please." Cameron whispered a plea, her eyes desperate as she rolled ever so slightly towards him.

"No," he said his eyes dancing, almost amused by the situation, "And it's not as if either of us could run away."

"Yeah, but at least you can leave."

"Good point." he said retrieving his cane from the floor and standing.

"House." Cameron nearly begged, but he was already at the foot of the bed.

"And don't worry I'll hook you up with some entertainment." he said with a wink and a smirk.

"Ooo goodie, "The L word" and " General Hospital" repeats, I can't wait." she said sarcastically.

"And you won't, I'll have a TV brought in here in a flash."

She nodded in thanks.

"Do you want something to eat, Greg?" William asked a bag on muffins in hand.

Cameron's eyebrows rose towards her hairline. _Greg?_

House very nearly groaned. If ever there was evidence of him talking to her father then that would be it.

"No thanks, William." he replied exasperatedly and rolling his eyes slightly, enjoying the look of complete and utter shock on Cameron's face.

"Cameron," he said almost kindly, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Then he headed to the door, pretending that he didn't see a flash of disappointment in her eyes at his words.

* * *

House slumped into the chair behind his desk once more. 

On leaving Cameron's room he instructed an orderly to find a TV.

He didn't leave the corridor until he saw said orderly return with a trolley holding the weight of a reasonably sized plasma screen.

It was twelve o'clock when he turned to the clock on his desk.

The whole concept of time seemed to have been lost over the last few days; quite often he had to remind himself just how many days had passed since that poor excuse for a man had stepped into the room adjoining his office; a room he himself had avoided those many days.

His hand still ached as it had after he'd punched the guy.

His stomach still twisted as it had when he first saw her lying on the floor.

His mouth still tasted as bitter as it had done when he spoke the words, "Skinny brunette."

"…do you need anything else?" A voice sounded bringing House back from the terrifying scene that played in his mind.

_Stupid quiet doors_, House thought as he looked up to see Wilson standing in front of his desk.

"You weren't listening, were you?" Wilson said almost sympathetic rather than in the accusing tone House expected.

"No, what was it?"

"I'm going back to your place to get you more clothes and I was wondering if you needed anything else."

"Yeah," House said thoughtfully, "Yeah, I need a ride home once you finish up here."

"You're going home?" Wilson asked shocked and bewildered, curious as to the reason why he had suddenly decided to go home.

Did Cameron say something?

Did he say something?

"Yeah, is that such a bad thing?" he teased with a hint of a smile, but both of them could pick up on the slight seriousness in his voice.

"No. I don't think it's a bad thing. A proper bed and a good nights rest will do you good."

"Yeah I'll need it," House muttered.

"Ah," Wilson said in a knowing tone, "First night without morphine."

"We could give her sedatives." House suggested.

"House, she's going to have to deal with it at some point whether it's in her dreams or not. Heck, she might sleep tomorrow night and there would be no reason for all this worry."

"You say it but you don't believe it." House said in an even tone, his gaze penetrating.

Wilson sighed softly.

"My last appointment is at five, be ready for twenty past." Wilson said as he turned to the door.

"Thank you." House said softly.

Wilson paused at the door.

There was so much behind those two words then either would care to admit.

"You're welcome."

The door swished as it closed.

House reached for the orange vial in his pocket and rattling out two pills.

* * *

"Are you going to be okay?" Wilson asked as they came to a stop outside House's apartment.

It was obvious to the oncologist that his friend was in pain despite the rattle he knew was in the man's pocket, he wondered for a moment if the pain was somewhere else other than his thigh.

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing, I just need sleep." House said in a voice that sounded stronger than he felt, sweat glistening on his crinkled brow.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, could you pick me up tomorrow morning?"

"What time?"

"Seven-thirty." House said in an even tone.

Wilson raised his eyebrows in shock knowing it was almost unheard of for House to be awake at that hour let alone ready to go to work. He then took a deep breath and nodded.

"See ya." House said pulling himself from the body-hugging passenger seat of Wilson's car, drawing his bottom lip between his teeth at the pain in his thigh.

He struck out a confident yet shorted pace to the front door of the apartment complex, until he heard the tell tale sound of a 3.5 litre engine rumbling down the street. Reaching the entrance he could feel his leg trembling beneath him, threatening to let him crumple to a heap of limbs before he even reached the sanctuary of his home. Fumbling slightly, juggling his cane and keys single-handedly, he opened the door to the hallway.

House saw his front door for the first time in six days. Pain wracked his entire body as it distinctly lacked the usual flow of opiates in his bloodstream; he intentionally left his Vicodin bottle in his pocket since noon.

A whole 6 hours without pain meds.

He had a plan.

Opening the door he limped with a grunt on his lips across the threshold.

He dropped his bag and jacket to the floor, and pushed the door closed behind him hearing the lock clack into place.

His eyes settled on the green lock box that lay on a row of books on a shelf that held sweet release, hastily thrust there from the last time he'd sought its comforts.

Somehow through all the pain he made his way to his bedroom with his box of paraphernalia under his arm.

He gingerly sat on his large bed before toeing off his shoes all the while moaning at the throb in his thigh and hand. He was shaking all over and sweat poured from his body, even so his fingers meticulously pulled morphine into a syringe, tied an rubber band around his right arm and pushed the drug into his body.

He placed the now empty syringe and rubber tourniquet into the lock box and lifted it to the floor with a grunt on his lips, before flopping back onto the bed and pulling the comforter over his shaking body.

He could feel the drugs sweep through his limbs, moving further and deeper with each pounding beat of his heart, the mild sedating effect following soon after.

He thought of Cameron lying in a hospital bed with the same drug flowing through her veins, a connection that comforted him.

There was no pain and sleep beckoning with the drug that sung a lullaby in his blood. This is what he'd gone through almost six hours of agonising pain for.

He saw the clock at his bedside show 6.34pm.

Then he slept for 12 hours.


	15. Chapter 15

"Hey." he said as he slipped into her room.

It had been over 24 hours since he'd last seen her. When he arrived at the hospital Cuddy was there to greet him, in her arms a stack of charts.

Her reasoning was that he looked better so he could work.

House grumbled and gave in.

He would never admit it but the see through walls of his office could only look upon so much, and he had yet to step into the conference room since the incident; he could just as easily think (or not think which was the more desirable option) whilst processing the many dripping noses, weeping children and oozing wounds as he could staring out into the humdrum thoroughfare of a hospital corridor.

So, he spent the day in the clinic.

The entire day.

Cuddy was worried to say the least so she let him have his hour long Game Boy session in exam room one with out interruption.

Then he waited.

Waited until he could be sure no one else would be there.

Which was around 10 o'clock.

"How's the pain?" he asked softly.

"Painful, but bearable." she said quietly.

He understood, completely and utterly. He knew the difference between Morphine and other pain meds; he'd danced between them himself before settling on Vicoden.

He imagined pain like the edge of a cube that dug through into flesh with inhumane force. Morphine wrapped the edge in a thousand fluffy blankets until it was merely a pressure and not pain; layers of thick cotton peeling away with each passing minute until the edge was bare, the pain unbearable and the next shot on its way. Others cut the edge away leaving two blunted corners, these new corners pushed against the flesh just the same but did not dig as deep, as time would pass the distance between the two newly formed corners would shrink, as would the angle between the flat surfaces of the edge until they were reunited as one once more ready to be cut down again before the edge got too deep into the flesh.

"When is your next dose?" he said pointing to the pair of orange vials on her bedside as he drew closer; one containing Ibuprofen, helping with the swelling of the muscles in her shoulder, the other Codeine with an Aspirin kicker for the main bulk of the pain.

"About an hour. I'm supposed to sleep after that."

"Supposed to?" he asked raising a somewhat suspicious eyebrow as he sat in the chair at her bedside.

"I've slept for the last five days, I'm not tired." she said in a confidant tone that would have convinced many others but not Gregory House.

"Okay." he said in an even and measured tone.

"Just okay?" Cameron asked, her tone clearly mirroring her confusion.

"Yup, you're a doctor and you know your own body better than anyone else, so okay."

"And yet you went home last night shot up on morphine so you could get 12 hours sleep so that you could keep me company in case I didn't sleep tonight." she said pointing to the bruise that protruded from his roughly rolled shirt cuff.

The tone of her voice was entirely indistinguishable; almost caring, almost annoyed, almost thankful, almost worried but no one emotion definitive or stronger than the others.

She must have spoken to Wilson.

He had guessed that Wilson was suspicious about the spring in his step that morning and the severe reduction of the dark circles around his eyes; he didn't know if he was too content to discover he'd shared his suspicions.

Hell, he wasn't too happy to discover that they had discussed him at all.

But he let it go, he didn't want to know what they had said about him.

"Yes well, I do know your body, but not half as well as I'd like." he said with a smirk.

"And you claim to have seen my perfect ass." she said with a knowing smile.

"Are you suggesting its all downhill after that? Because if that's true, I could leave right now."

She smiled and stayed silent, before lifting the remote control and switching on the television.

Five minutes into some random sit-com she spoke.

"You're still here." her voice sounded in a soft distant tone.

"The summit is miles away yet, I'm still trying to catch my breath at base camp." he said not missing a beat his eyes still focused on the television.

"And with that limp it'll take you years, I mean if it's taken you this long to reach the base camp."

"Yeah, but I've got help now."

"Really?" she asked turning to him for the first time in their vague conversation.

"Yup, some native is going to lend me an ass." he said with a smirk returning her gaze.

"You are an ass." she said seriously, before grinning widely.

"I think this metaphor has gone too far, so we should just call it there before you make another mean comment about my leg." He said turning his attentions back to the television.

"Okay, Sir Limps-a-lot." she said evenly after a short pause.

He grinned and sat in silence with her as the brightly coloured comedy drama unfolded on screen.

After six pills (two of his, four of hers) and three and a half episodes of some sit-com marathon she fell asleep.

He turned off the main lights of the room, turning on a lamp that bathed the room in nothing but a soft glow. He tugged at the bed sheets until they reached her chin and relieved her grip of the TV remote and turned the volume down.

He watched her for the longest time wishing he could see her dreams and chase away any demons that threatened to haunt them.

Less than forty minutes of sleep later she began whimpering.

House tensed, his entire body becoming stiff at the first soft sound across her lips.

"No," she whispered, her body shivering despite the sheen of perspiration on her forehead.

He stood up and leaned over her wondering what to do.

Should he wake her up? Should he try to comfort her whilst she slept?

It wasn't a disease. It wasn't an exact science. There was no succinct diagnosis and no easy cure.

It was emotion and physiology; both of which he was entirely under qualified to deal with.

"No," she said a little louder a single tear sliding down her cheek.

At the sight of that tear all indecision and doubt melted away.

He reached forward and brushed the salty droplet away with his thumb.

"Cameron, what's wrong?" he said in a soft soothing tone in the hopes of her remaining asleep and forgetting both his words and the dream.

"S'got a gun." she murmured leaning into the warmth of his hand.

"I know, Cameron," he said in a quiet voice brushing his fingers across her cheek then he added in nothing but a whisper, "I won't let him hurt you again."

"Make 'im go 'way." she groaned.

"I'll try, Cameron." he murmured as he felt her muscles relax and her dreams slipped away, "Really, I will."

House fell asleep not long after, but in his sleep he could not hear her cries as a man with a gun invaded her dreams once more. Soon it was too late and she awoke with her scream piercing the stillness of the night.

House was awake instantly.

A nurse burst into the room seconds later causing Cameron to scream in fright once more as the soft light in the room left the nurses face in shadow.

"Get out!" House yelled not caring if he woke up the other half of the hospital, the only patient he cared for was the one that was buried in his arms seconds later.

He sat at the side of her hips and wrapped both his arms around her as she crashed forward into his chest shaking like a leaf in a cruel winter storm. He held her as she cried silent tears against his shoulder, entirely careful not to press too hard or touch her injured shoulder.

He didn't say anything.

There was nothing to say.

He didn't shush her; she had been through something traumatic and should be allowed to do whatever was necessary to get through this.

He didn't tell her it would be okay; he couldn't bring himself to make that promise.

He couldn't tell her sorry because it still wasn't enough.

Though he would not deny that he felt lighter since she had absolved him and told him that he wasn't responsible; he just couldn't shake it, couldn't get rid of the feeling that it was his fault entirely.

It should have been him.

So he held her close until the tears stopped, held her still as her breathing slowed to a regular rate; he wanted to hold her until she could smile again, smile without the shadow of something dark in her eyes but she pulled back.

Wordlessly he reached for one of the vials on the bedside cabinet and shook two pills into her hand.

She took them with ease and no need for water before lowering herself back down onto the soft stacked pillows.

"Sorry." she breathed glancing down at the blanket as she pulled it to her chest.

"Don't apologise." he said in a harsh voice, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"But..."

"Cameron," he said a much softer tone, "You have nothing to be sorry for, not a thing."

She nodded mutely her eyes still downcast, evidence of sleep beginning to creep across her features once more; her tears leaving her thoroughly exhausted.

Her eyelids fluttered closed as if she were trying to fight it off.

Even in her sleep she seemed tense, as if she was still trying to hold the weight of the world on her shoulders.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her brow, letting them linger for a few seconds as his hand brushed gently across her sleep mussed hair.

"I'm so sorry."

He slipped back in to the uncomfortable chair and a restless sleep.

Little did he know but Cameron had fought off the sleep that threatened to engulf her, she had felt his kiss and heard his words.

She didn't sleep again that night; afraid she'd dream of a man with a gun and afraid she'd miss a kiss.


	16. Chapter 16

"Morning." Cameron said in an exhausted tone when she saw House begin to wake.

"Morning." he replied before yawning loudly, stretching out his arms "How'd you sleep?"

"I didn't." she said honestly.

"Oh." he said before repeating with a little more trepidation, "Oh."

He knew, he could tell by the look in her eyes that she'd heard and felt what he did not want her to.

He hoped she wouldn't mention his words.

He hoped she wouldn't mention... it.

He still wasn't ready to face what was between them.

"I'm sor..." she started.

He glared at her almost menacingly.

"Okay, well thank you instead then."

"Don't thank me." he said in a low tone dropping his gaze to the floor.

"You didn't have to be here."

"I... I..."

_I want to be here._

_I need to be here._

He sighed, "I'm here aren't I?"

"Yes." she said simply; his mere presence was far more assuring than any words he spoke.

They were quiet for a moment, listening to the sounds of the hospital waking up around them. The squeaking wheel of carts, the footfalls of busy nurses and the thrum of engines as a steady stream of doctor and patients drove into the parking lot.

"You should sleep."

"I don't want to. I can't."

"Which is it?" he pressed, knowing that each would have a different meaning medically speaking.

"I don't know."

"I could get you a sedative." he suggested shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"No," her tone was forceful, almost angry.

It made him stop.

Maybe she was just irritable from a lack of sleep; or so he hoped.

"I don't want anything." she continued her voice just a little more controlled.

"You don't want to sleep?" he asked, his tone still probing and curious.

"No." she answered, her tone measured and controlled despite the anger beneath her voice.

"No, you do want to sleep? Or no, you don't want to sleep?" He pressed further still.

"I don't want to loose control!" She shouted.

The sound of her quick and slightly laboured breaths were the only sounds in the room.

She was in pain; each heave of her lungs pulling at her stitches and pressing her shoulder against the bed.

Anger seeped from her as quickly as it came.

"I don't want to sleep, I can't sleep or I'll loose control." she said in a quiet tone.

He stood and reached for one of the vials at her bedside once more, tipping it two pills in a ritual he'd perfected only passing them to Cameron instead of pouring them down his own gullet.

She swallowed.

"Cameron you'll have to sleep sometime." he said placing the vial back on the table and sitting on the bed at her side.

"Just not now, please." her voice quivered as if she was holding back tears, her eyes pleading with his "Please, not now."

"Okay, okay."

Somehow she ended up in his arms once more, her face pressed against the crook of his neck.

She didn't cry; it was another attempt to hold on to control by not allowing herself that release. Her hand fisted on his shirt, unwilling to let go even as her breathing slowed and he felt sure she had unwittingly given in to the sleep that she feared.

Should he wake her up?

Should he let her rest?

There were no answers.

But biology, it would seem, had decided for him.

Myoclonic Jerk.

She yelped as she woke against him, and pressed herself closer to him for a moment before pulling back, a look of annoyance and thoughtfulness in her eyes.

"Leave." she said in an even tone.

"What?" he asked thoroughly confused.

"Please leave."

"But... What...?"

"House, just get out!" she shouted, a furious fire burning in her eyes.

"Okay." he said confused but unable to go against her wishes, thoroughly worried about her abrupt changes in mood and unwillingness to go to sleep.

About to stand he was stopped by her hand reaching around his neck, the soft touch of her fingers pressed against his skin stopped him in his tracks. Still thoroughly confused, she pulled him towards her and briefly pressed her lips to his.

"I forgive you." she said against his mouth.

He pulled back to see that her eyes were filled with sincerity and kindness.

She kissed him again, the touch longer but far more bittersweet.

"You have to go." she said resting her forehead against his as she pulled back. "It's too easy to fall asleep when you're here."

"Good to know that my company is that enthralling." he said sarcastically, glad to have some sort of reasoning behind her sudden wish to expel him from the room.

"House," she whispered slightly exasperated.

"Okay."

He gulped slightly, his gaze connecting with hers as he tentatively leaned forward and claimed her lips for his own for the first time.

The touch was short and soft but entirely his own; his decision, his acceptance and admittance of something more.

"Good Morning." he said quietly as he pulled back and stood, his cane finding its way to his left hand. Only now was he made aware of the niggling pain that slowly ran up and down his thigh, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

"Yes, it is." she said almost brightly as if she were ready to face the day that awaited her.

She wasn't.

He left thinking he was ready to face the day too.

He wasn't either.


	17. Chapter 17

House headed back down to the clinic after he'd showered, changed and taken his morning dose of drugs: Vicodin and Caffeine.

He pushed through the doors of the clinic and was greeted by Cuddy once more.

But this time she didn't hold any charts whilst smiling in a conspiring manor.

This time she was flanked by two burly looking men and wore a look of sympathy.

"House," she said, her tone that of a friend rather than an employer, "This is Detective Campbell and Detective Quinn, they want to speak to you and Doctor Cameron."

"Cuddy, I don't think Cameron..."

"It has already been 6 days Doctor House." Spoke the broad-chested Detective Campbell, "Ideally we should have spoken to you directly after the incident and Doctor Cameron when her voice returned."

There was a hint of something in his voice; something that suggested this was more than just another shooting to him. As if he was unhappy with the entire situation and just wanted it resolved.

"But you already have his testimony, he admitted to it. Why..."

"It's a formality, but a necessary one at that." We have to take statements from everyone who witnessed the event and your's and Doctor Cameron's will be the most important should he withdraw his plea."

These were the Detectives that had spoken to Chase and Foreman; the merciless glint in their eyes said as much.

Legally he couldn't be held accountable, but he knew they thought he was partially to blame.

He thought he was entirely to blame.

But even as he sensed the immanent wringing of his own neck his thoughts dwelled on Cameron.

"Does Cameron have to be alone? Can I be there?" his voice was both tentative and confident at the same time.

"Only at her request and provided you do not interrupt our questioning." Quinn spoke for the first time. It became entirely apparent who was in charge, his tone was low and not entirely threatening but there was something distinctly ominous and authoritative about it. "But we want to hear your version first."

He could almost imagine the two of them cracking their knuckles in anticipation.

"You can use my office." Cuddy said directing the way.

The two Detectives passed into the room and stood just inside waiting for House.

He had stopped at the threshold, staring down at where carpet met linoleum; he was on the threshold of something else, like standing on a precipice waiting to jump into a dark uncharted chasm.

"You'll only have to do it once." Cuddy said reassuringly placing a warm hand on his upper arm.

He turned his eyes towards her, unable to look at the edge anymore.

She squeezed his arm gently at the sight of such loss and pain in those eyes; they appeared more desolate than when she's watched him wake to only one and a half thighs.

"It will get better after this." she said soothingly.

"I hope so." he whispered.

Then he leapt into the unknown.

"If you'd just take a seat Doctor House." said Campbell sitting in the chair at the coffee table.

Quinn remained standing and silent, never directly looking at House but constantly keeping him in his field of vision.

"Do you object to this testimony being recorded?"

"No." House said monotonously.

Campbell pulled a small digital recorder from his pocket, set it on the table and clicked the record button.

"Testimony of Doctor Gregory House regarding the attempted murder of Doctor Allison Cameron."

House tensed.

_Attempted murder?_

"If you'd just like to take us through what happened that morning, Doctor House."

House was silent.

_Attempted murder?_ He thought once more.

The breakfast he ate that morning churned at the thought.

House lurched from the sofa and hobbled to the desk before picking up the trash can at its side and purged the semi digested food from his system.

"Sorry, it's just when you said attempted murder... fuck." He muttered he said leaning against the desk.

"It must be hard to hear that someone would want to kill you."

House looked at Campbell as though he was crazy, but then he realised it **_should_** have been hard for him to hear someone wanted him dead. It should have been shocking for any normal person to find another human being would have enough hatred to want them dead; but he wasn't a normal person.

He gripped the cool metal trash can as if it were a life line.

"No." he said simply, a slight frown across his features "I could have lost her."

Normally House would have been quite pleased with himself at the shocked reactions of both stoic policemen, the looks of confusion and the slightly aghast features, but he was still falling through this unknown world.

It hurt, and he hadn't even hit the bottom yet.

He pushed from the desk and limped over to the sofa, and collapsed in its depths.

Hugging the trash can to his body, the putrid smell filling his nostrils he recounted the events of the morning that seemed so long ago.

They didn't interrupt.

House starred into the middle distance, his voice droning on as if describing the symptoms of some case and with as much detail and scrupulousness.

He didn't let himself feel as he spoke those words; the fear when she was shot, the shock when he saw her blood on his hands, the anger when he punched him.

He felt it once, he couldn't do it again.

When he finished he set the trash can down at his feet, the fetid scent becoming too much for his stomach to bear.

"Well, I don't have any more questions." Campbell said almost softly, "Detective Quinn?"

House could feel the eyes of Quinn boring through him.

"Why did you say it?"

"Because it's who I am." House said to his shoes, before looking up into the man's questioning gaze, a fierce hate fuelling the curiosity.

House smiled mirthlessly, "I don't like me either."

Quinn nodded to Campbell who picked up the recorder and hit the stop button.

House gulped slightly, wondering if the detective switched off the recorder to beat the living crap out of him without audio evidence.

"As the case progresses we may contact you again for further questioning," Campbell said as he stood.

"Okay." House muttered.

"If you could show us to Doctor Cameron's room?" the tone of his voice suggesting that it was more of a command than a question.

House pulled himself to his feet and stepped out of the room.

"You need to clean out your trash can," he muttered to Cuddy who stood worriedly at the nurses' desk, then limped forward the two detectives flanking him as he made his way to the elevators.

As House stepped into the car and turned back to the lobby her still worried eyes met his for a brief second before the door closed ominously.

The day was far from over.

* * *

A/N: I was going to post this and the next chapter(s) as one whole chapter but it seemed a little long. More soon. As soon as I've finished it. m 


	18. Chapter 18

William, Martha and Cameron looked up at the doorway as House stepped inside the room

He nodded to them by way of greeting before heading into the adjoining bathroom and gurgling water in attempt to remove the foul taste that lingered in his mouth.

The murmurs of Detective Campbell in the next room reached House's ears as he introduced himself and Quinn.

He could almost feel Cameron's fear and trepidation calling out to him, begging the comfort she seemed to gain from his presence.

Low toned voices continued.

He heard the door open and close once more.

Then silence.

**_They_** were waiting for him to leave.

She was waiting for him; she had always been waiting.

He stepped back into the room thick with tension; Campbell at the foot of her bed with his trusty recorder in hand, Quinn lurking in a dark corner which seemed entirely suited to his nature and Cameron in the middle of it all, her eyes alert for the first time today due to the anxiousness and fear coursing through her veins.

He tried to smile, to give her some twisted boost of confidence, but he couldn't.

It was impossible to pretend to be happy after reliving that day.

And she'd have to do it alone if the look in Quinn's eye was anything to go by.

He frowned and moved towards the door despite every fibre in his being telling him he was going in the wrong direction.

"House..." she called out to him.

He turned back.

"Detective, please I don't want to..." she said to her left hand that twisted the material of the blanket between her nimble fingers, before looking into Quinn's fearsome eyes, "I want him here."

House knew it was too soon, with the demons of her dreams lingering in her mind she wasn't ready to do this alone.

One day perhaps, but not now.

Quinn nodded with a displeased sigh.

House knew instantly that hearing this would be far worse than reciting his own testimony, but he needed to be there.

House moved past the detectives, careful to keep as much distance as possible between him and them and sat in the chair at Cameron's bedside.

She let the blanket go and gripped his un-bandaged hand.

Her small hand quivered beneath his fingers.

He tightened his grip for a moment.

"If you would tell us what happened that morning Doctor Cameron?" instructed Campbell.

She replied to his grip before she replied to the question.

Her soft voice began a tale of horrific atrocities.

With each sound, each description, the emotions he thought he could control welled up in his body.

He could feel his body shivering with the urge to wrap his arms around her, to stop her sweet voice that told of one of the worst days of his life, to force the police officers from the room but he held back; held back his emotions and held back his tears.

It had to be done.

He hated every second, he feared the emotions that swelled in his body and he loathed the tremble in his own hand as he held hers; but it had to be done.

Her voice poured over him in a wave of forced confidence and barely maintained control.

She spoke of the look in **_his_** eyes.

She spoke of the pain that ripped through her body.

Then him.

The pressure at her wound, the warmth of his hand and the tone of his voice that calmed her panic stricken mind.

He stared at the floor not wanting to see what was in the eyes of the detectives. Even more so he did not want to see what was in her eyes; the grip on his hand told him enough.

He learned that she made it to the elevator before darkness finally took her and her story ended.

The hand beneath his suddenly felt cold; he ran his fingers almost roughly over her knuckles trying to return the heat to those chilled digits.

Campbell nodded and a satisfied manor before he began to drone on about the legalities and procedures to follow but House heard none of it, concentrating on warming that cold hand.

Quinn coughed in a concluding sort of way as he pushed off from the wall.

House blinked away the unshed tears that accumulated in the corners of his eyes and squeezed her hand before letting go.

As he stood he looked into her eyes for the first time since she had begun speaking.

His stomach twisted painfully, but he had nothing left.

He was spent; there was nothing but guilt which ate through his body like a corrosive acid and made him hollow.

She smiled at him; the warmth of it pouring into his soul and filling his hollow being.

Through his exhaustion, he smiled back.

Hopefully it would get better from here.

He followed the detectives out of the door, with nothing but a poignant look from Cameron he knew her request from that morning still applied.

Even more so as the anxiousness of the interview fell away and the exhaustion in her eyes became all too clear.

He walked with them to the elevator and right out into the parking lot.

"We'll be in touch." Campbell said with sympathy in his words.

House nodded as he watched them walk away from him into the myriad of cars that glinted in the spring sun.

House stepped back until he passed into the shadow of the building. Further still until the cool outer wall of the hospital pressed against his back.

He closed his eyes.

He was tired.

So tired.

Two Vicodin passed over his lips.

He returned his rattle to his pocket and tipped his head back against the wall.

He could have been there for hours just listening to the sound of his breathing and the world around him, enjoying the coolness of the wall through the thin materials of his shirt and button-down.

A sound ripped through the afternoon with a sharp ear piercing snap.

House paled; his entire body shivering as adrenaline flooded his body.

He could hear screaming.

It could have been a passer-by or only in his mind but he'd swear it was Cameron.

Cries of such pain and anguish.

He half hopped, half ran to the elevator rounding the corner as the metal doors began to close.

"Hold the elevator!" he shouted; the sounds of screaming still ringing in his ears.

He darted frantically into the metal box praying that no one had hit any of the intermittent floors to the neurology department.

His eyes were wide as he watched the numbers rise, his lips muttering a silent prayer hoping that she'd had not heard.

As the elevator slowed he heard shouts he knew were not in his mind.

There was a sound of pure panic just beyond a few inches of metal.

The doors drifted reluctantly open as if it didn't want to expose its sheltered occupants to the mayhem beyond.

Shrieks and screams and various projectile pieces of medical equipment hurtled through the door of Cameron's room. Inside was a blur.

A blur he was soon a part of.

The room was in disarray; the bed was at an angle to the wall, the dresser had also been knocked from its place and a cabinet containing packaged medical supplies had been overturned; luckily there was no broken glass across the floor.

Cameron's parents sat shocked and concerned in their seats.

Nurses stood still and aghast.

Cameron was backed into a corner, crouched down and pressed between two walls still screaming and yelling; tears streaming down her face and a spot of red on her gown at her shoulder. Each time she stopped to take a breath the rasping of air rushing into her lungs that filled the air and sent shivers down the spine of everyone in the room at the sheer hollowness of the sound.

"Cameron!" Foreman and Chase took turns calling as they attempted to reach her, but she screeched at them and tossed some of the strewn intubation tubes in their direction.

House pushed them roughly out of the way, handing his cane to Foreman in the process.

He dropped quickly to the floor at her side, ignoring the tang of pain in his thigh and the hard plastic crunching beneath his weight.

She lifted her now empty hands preparing to use her closed fists to defend herself from the demons from her dreams that had reached the real world.

He ignored them as he reached forward and held her shaking head in his hands, willing her eyes to meet his.

She let loose an anguished cry and stilled, her eyes closed as more tears streaming down her already soaked cheeks.

"Cameron." he whispered.

She whimpered and opened her eyes tentatively.

Her fists unfurled.

Silence descended on the room for the first time in minutes as she stared into his eyes.

"I was shot, he shot me again." she whispered in a broken and hoarse voice, "It hurts."

Her eyes closed again.

Glancing down he saw blood seeping onto her gown at her shoulder.

"Cameron," he said quietly, she kept her eyes closed.

"Cameron! Look at me!" he shouted, his hands still cradling her head, his thumbs brushing stray stands of hair from her face.

His right hand throbbed with each shake and shiver of her head.

She blinked a few times before letting her eyes meet his.

"The sound... It was a car backfiring. You weren't shot. You fell off the bed and landed on your side jarring your shoulder and pulling your stitches. That's the pain, that's why it hurts." he sighed and brushed and the new tears that slid across her cheeks. "I'm not going to let him hurt you again." he murmured.

She nodded, accepting his words.

He could see the exact moment when realisation and relief swept though her; a new wave of tears burst forth.

Tears of relief that she was alive.

Tears of shame at her reaction to the sound.

House frowned slightly before he pulled her onto his lap; not paying attention to the protest of his thigh at the extra pressure as he wrapped his arms around her and rocked her ever so slightly. She sobbed silently against his shoulder, her body curled against his, her left arm around his waist and griping his shirt tightly at the centre of his back as if she'd never let go.

He was so focused on Cameron that he almost forgot that behind him the room was full; full people that stared in disbelief.

House, the meanest and most callous doctor in the hospital cradled a normally calm and collected Cameron in his arms.

On one shoulder hot tears seeped through his shirt and soaked his skin, on the other the warm crimson trickled from her wound and bled through his shirt.

Her blood was on him once more.

And he was still responsible.

Silent minutes passed.

"Cameron..."

Everyone saw her knuckles turn white at the strength of her grip on his shirt but only he could feel it, like a grip around his heart.

"We have to check your stitches and get you something for the pain." he said soothingly as he rubbed the small of her back, "You have to get up."

Her grip on him remained tight as she shifted closer and further into his embrace.

More blood trickled onto his shirt.

"I'll be right here." he whispered, brushing his lips across her forehead. "I promise."

It was the only thing he could promise.

He couldn't promise it would be alright.

He couldn't promise that she'd be okay.

But he could be there for her; that much he could do.

They stood together, slowly and awkwardly, she was still huddled against his chest the entire time.

He turned slightly to see a room full of people staring at them, not to mention an uncountable number of eyes in the hallway.

No wonder she didn't want to look up.

"Okay, everyone outside now. Chase, get a suture kit just in case, Foreman figure out what pain killers we can give her." he said a quiet authoritative tone, "And would someone close those blinds for Christ sake!"

House and Cameron didn't move as the eyes that once filled the room poured out into the corridor and were then concealed by the blinds.

"Come on." he murmured pulling her in the direction of the bed.

They stumbled together, House entirely aware of her bare feet so close to his sneakers.

"Chase..." House said with a nod toward the bed.

With little more than a grimace Chase pushed the bed flush against the wall once more before continuing with his hunt for a suture kit and equipment to clean the wound.

House's cane swung gently to and fro on the railings at the foot of the bed.

Foreman downed Cameron's chart and left the room, purpose laced in his stride.

Her grip on his shirt was just as tight as the back of her thighs hit the mattress.

"Cameron..."

"I..." her voice sounded as a murmur against his shirt, "I can't believe I..."

"You were shot six days ago; I think this could be classed as a reasonable reaction." He kissed the hair and let his grip loosen ever so slightly.

She pulled back from him slowly and hauled herself onto the bed, hissing when her shoulder brushed against the stacked pillows.

He unclipped the blue sling from around her neck and gently tugged at it until it came away from her body.

She groaned slightly as she gingerly brought her hand back across her chest.

Foreman crept back into the room, a syringe of clear liquid and fresh gown in hand. He set the gown down on the bed and moved around to Cameron's left side.

It almost pained House to see her turn her head from Foreman as he extended her arm and found a vein for whatever pain killers he'd found.

Chase set out the last of the equipment and drew up a stool and prepared to check her wound.

"I'll do that." House murmured in a low authoritative voice.

Chase looked shocked and more than a little annoyed.

Foreman didn't look surprised at all.

"Are you sure you'll be able to handle this?" Chase asked sceptically, looking at House's broken hand.

House began to unravel the bandage on his right hand, "Yes." he growled as he shot a fierce glare in Chase's direction.

Chase backed off.

House stared at both him and Foreman until they reluctantly gave in to House's silent demands for them to leave.

He sighed when they left.

Her head was turned from him as he sat at her side, a thick trail of bandages dropping silently to the floor.

"Cameron."

She didn't respond.

"Allison." he whispered.

She turned in his direction but did not lift her eyes; he reached forward and tipped her chin until her gaze met his.

He didn't know what to say.

He didn't know how to comfort her.

"I don't think any less of you because of the way you reacted. No one will. You were shot six days ago. You are **_allowed_** to be scared."

"But..."

"No."

His fingers brushed her skin until his palm cupped her cheek.

His eyes conveyed everything he couldn't find the words for.

She nodded slightly.

He pulled back and snapped latex gloves on his hands.

There was silence in the room as he tended to her shoulder. Blood trickled from the half healed wound. He tentatively removed what was left of the torn stitches and cleaned the blood covered skin around the wound until it returned to its natural alabaster coloring. The wound was healing well so he pressed two paper stitches across it and covered it with a fresh dressing.

Once finished he peeled the latex from his skin wincing as it pressed against his broken bones.

"Your hand..." she started in her usual caring voice.

"Don't worry about me." he replied with a wave of his good hand, before picking up the clean gown, "Sit forward."

"House." she said in a low warning tone.

There was a solitary glimmer of mirth in her eyes.

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, we're both highly attractive sexy red-blooded humans but I don't think either of us would be up for a romp on this hospital bed right now. Now sit forward, and turn around little. I promise I won't look."

Then he added under his breath, "Much."

She shook her head slightly and moved forward.

Her back almost entirely towards him he reached forward and undid the tie at her right side. She pulled left arm from the gown and it fell across her back; the smooth surface of her skin entirely tantalizing despite the situation. He let his fingers not quite accidentally brush her skin as he reached for the second tie at her left side. He inched forward as he pulled the material from her broken shoulder. The skin was a horrific mix of black and blue, contrasting with the white expanse of her back.

He pretended he didn't feel slight disappointment at the sight of black shorts instead of panties.

She pulled the gown from her arm, as he reached forward and brushed his fingers around the contours of the large area of traumatised blood vessels.

He pretended he didn't feel excitement when she shivered.

"Did that hurt?"

"No." he voice sounded distant.

He convinced himself it was because she was tired rather than anything else.

She hissed slightly as they worked together to pull on the fresh gown, his stiff fingers working painfully on the ties at her side.

She lay back down turning to lie on her left side, drawing her knees towards her chest.

House cleared away the equipment, placing a fresh bandage in his pocket to wrap his hand later, and put the bloodied gown in a bag to be washed.

He sighed softly when turned back to the bed.

Cameron was curled up on her side, the bed appearing vast as she attempted to be as small as possible.

House felt helpless.

Medically he'd done all he could, but there was still more required of him.

He just didn't know what.

He limped around the bed until he could see her face.

Exhaustion poured from her in harsh relentless waves, her eyes barely remaining open as she strained to fight off sleep.

"Do you want me to leave again?" he asked softly.

Afraid she'd say no.

Afraid she'd say yes.

"No, I want to you to stay. If I'm going to sleep I want you here."

"So you think I'm scarier than your nightmares? Want me to chase them away with my cane?"

"Yes." she said simply. "You chased him away the first time."

"Okay," he replied in a crackling and slightly unsure voice.

She gave him a lazy half smile and closed her eyes.

She fell asleep almost instantly.

House stepped back until his shoulders hit the wall, he slid down, down until he was crouched on the floor and could go no lower. He rested his forehead on his knees and wrapped his arms around his head.

He was completely beyond exhausted. Little sleep and the events of the day had drained him entirely; every muscle felt heavy and ached under the strain.

He had finally hit the bottom of that dark unnatural chasm. He felt crushed; as if the weight on his shoulders had finally become too much for his hollowed being to carry.

He wanted to give in, but he couldn't.

Because it seemed like he was the only thing to stop her from falling, from being crushed.

He couldn't let that happen.

He wouldn't let that happen.

Today had been too much for him, he could only imagine what it had been like for her.

So he stayed.

He didn't give in.

And to think the day had started so well.

He closed his eyes and it was all too easy for him to imagine the touch of her lips against his.

The reassuring warmth of that imaginary touch spread through his body and lulled him into a restless sleep.

* * *

A/N: Hey. Just felt like saying a big huge thank you to all who have read and reviewed this story. Really. Thank you all so much. M x 


	19. Chapter 19

The next thing that House was aware of was a gentle yet strong hand under his left arm pulling him to his feet with apparent ease.

For the slightest second House thought he was dead and it was the hand of God that pulled him to stand, but then pain seared up and down his right thigh and brought him speedily back to the real world.

"Argh," he groaned, keeping his balance between the hand, his left leg and the wall at his back as he reached for his Vicodin and tipped two into his mouth.

His eyes were still closed and he was still half asleep as he swallowed the taste of escape.

"Come on son." a familiar voice sounded as the strong hand guided him from the wall.

Squinting against the fluorescent lighting he half opened his eyes.

William Cameron was at his side, guiding him and supporting him as they moved closer to the door.

Turning slightly he could see Cameron was still asleep, still curled up and small against the expanse of the bed with Martha at her bedside.

"No," House said groggily, a frown on his brow. "I promised I wouldn't leave."

"Martha will be here. Right now you need coffee and something to eat." William said whilst handing House his cane.

House's stomach grumbled in reply.

"And Doctor Foreman wants to speak with you."

House groaned; that's all he needed.

"Come on, I'll buy you coffee."

House nodded, glancing back at Cameron's still form.

"What time is it?" House asked as he stepped out into the hall, unable to shake the feeling that he was somehow betraying Cameron.

"About four thirty." he replied with a troubled sigh.

House very nearly groaned again, he just wanted the day to be over.

They turned the corner to the elevators to see the doors springing open to reveal an agitated Foreman.

"I was just coming to..." he started and abruptly stopped.

He stared at House's more than dishevelled appearance; his eyes were bloodshot, his hair sticking up messily and he had a small bloodstain on his shirt. He looked at least a decade older than his years and dog tired.

"We're going to the cafeteria." William said almost daring Foreman to bring up the appearance of the man at his side, "You can talk there."

The elevator ride was silent. House would never admit it but he was glad of the silent support of Cameron Senior at his side.

Foreman and House found an empty table amidst staring nurses, doctors and families of patients whilst William joined the short queue.

"She said he shot her." Foreman blurted out as he sat down.

"He did." House replied slumping into his own chair.

"No, she said it this afternoon."

House sighed and closed his eyes as he realised where Foreman was heading with the conversation.

"Hallucinations." he muttered.

"Yeah." Foreman replied dejectedly, almost wishing he hadn't thought of it.

"She'd had just given her testimony." House argued, "She'd been fighting off sleep for most of the night because she was afraid she'd dream of him again. It might not be hallucinations."

Foreman thought for a moment.

"You said she was up all night... insomnia?"

"Her brain is fine!" he whispered angrily, slamming his fists against the table.

"Shit!" he hissed as he cradled his right hand to his chest.

"House, calm down," Foreman said worriedly, "It's probably just Post Traumatic Stress. All I'm saying is that we can't dismiss the possibility that it could be brain damage. I think we should get a CT scan and MRI as soon as possible."

"She's been having mood swings too." House added reluctantly staring at a coffee stain on the table.

Foreman took a moment to process the new information before nodding slightly.

House pulled the bandage from his pocket, tossing it to the younger doctor and holding out his right hand, "Make yourself useful."

Foreman shook his head before unravelling the bandage around House's hand.

William arrived at the table just as Foreman secured the end of the bandage.

"I'll see if we can get those scans done tomorrow." He said standing and taking his leave.

"Scans?" William asked apprehensively as he lifted mugs and plates from the laden tray.

"MRI and CT scans. Foreman is worried that there may be more damage to her brain than we originally thought."

"But the Aphasia thing, it went away. I thought it would just be temporary." He said stirring sugar and milk into one of the cups of coffee.

"That was temporary but there could be more damage. And it could be permanent."

William considered him for the longest time, "What do you think?"

"It's possible." House admitted slowly, "But the scans will give us a better idea of what we might be dealing with. Personally, I think Cameron is still just shaken up from the whole thing."

"Allison." William muttered before taking a sip of his coffee.

"What?"

"It says Allison on her birth certificate." William said with a smirk. "Took a while to pick that name too."

House bobbed his head from side to side in a non-committal manor.

He eyed the plate set before him with some trepidation; he knew he should eat but was entirely unsure if he'd be able to keep it down. He glanced at William who shot him a stern look, which made House sigh and reluctantly bring a turkey sandwich to his lips.

Two bites later the silence at the table was broken.

"My heart stopped when I saw her fall off the bed." William said staring into his cup of coffee, "The sound of her cries and screams... I've seen grown men act worse after being shot, seen them react worse to the same sound after being shot. But that's my baby."

The older man sighed and sipped his coffee once more.

"I just sat there. I should have done something." William said bitterly, his brow furrowing as he dropped his mug to the table with force, the hot liquid threatening to spill over the rim.

"No, you were shocked. Like you said she's your daughter, you should never have expected to be in that situation let alone deal with it single-handedly." House said, trying to comfort the man.

"You did." he replied almost reverently looking up and meeting House's azure gaze.

House just shook his head; there was nothing he could say in reply so he continued eating with his gaze dropped to the table.

He finished the last crumb a few moments later and reached for the other slightly cooled cup of coffee and added four sugars.

"Navy, Air Force or Army?" House asked breaking the silence and satisfying a lingering curiosity.

William smiled humourlessly, "How could you tell?"

"So many reasons." House said smiling back.

"I flew helicopters in the Army, but I resigned my commission almost 30 years ago now. My family was too important; I'd had one too many close calls in the field. Not to mention I was getting pretty old as chopper pilots go; the young guns were getting hard to keep up with."

_30 years ago?_ House thought.

"Do you mind if I ask how old you are?"

"69 next month and still going strong," he said with a smile.

House was a little shocked; he wouldn't have put the man a day over 62.

"But I wasn't idol when I came out of the Army," William continued, "I had three mouths to feed, I've been working in the engineering side of things, you know working on things helped by a pilots point of view and so on."

"Three mouths?"

"Allison didn't tell you about her big brothers?"

"No." House replied, lifting the sweet elixir to his lips.

"Jeremy and Richard. Jeremy had been going to work with me since he was 9, he was a born pilot and engineer and he loved physics just as I did. He's a Major in the Air Force, but he doesn't fly too many missions mainly working with jet engines in Florida. He made me a granddad four years ago." William said with a proud smile, before continuing with a chuckle in his voice. "Richard couldn't be more bored when it came to engines and science. Richard's talents were in the kitchen. The best food I've ever tasted, but don't tell Martha I told you that. He works in an up market French restaurant in Chicago. He's been trying to get money together to open his own restaurant for a while now but the twins last year put a bit of a dampener on things."

"That's kids for you." House muttered earning him a small smile.

"Then there's little Allie." he said pride shinning in his eyes, "She had wanted to be a doctor since she got one of those plastic stethoscopes and toy first aid kit when she was four." He sighed dejectedly, "I wish I'd been there to see it."

"Where were you?" House asked curiously.

"I was MIA."

"Missing in action? How long?"

House had heard stories from his own father about the horrors of some prison camps; he felt shivers down his spine at the memories.

"13 months." he said quietly.

House watched a darkness creep across his features at the mention of the fearful time.

"It was a long time. They had all but given up hope by the time I came back so I decided I couldn't let that happen again. 13 months without seeing your family makes you realise what you've got. The boys were shaken by the whole thing, Allie was still a little young and didn't understand but I'd missed so much, she wasn't a baby anymore. And Martha had been on her own through it all."

House looked confused for a moment, "What about your parents?"

"Nope." He said with a humourless smile, "Our marriage wasn't that popular with either of our parents. I was almost 30, she was 18; the age gap was a big deal for them."

"Ah." House muttered, now realising why William wasn't objecting to whatever was developing between House and his daughter.

William smiled knowing House's train of thought.

"Twelve years; though I imagine you have a few on that."

"Are you saying I'm old?"

"Yes," he replied with a smug smile.

House rolled his eyes and drained his coffee. "We should head back."

"You need to change first." William said pointing to his shirt before draining his own mug.

House glanced down, a vivid red glistened back.

He nodded and stood a little shakily.

Despite the coffee and the sandwich he still felt weak and completely exhausted.

They made their way to the elevator, House getting off first and going to the locker room whilst William went back to Cameron's room.

His progress languid and slow despite his desire to get back to her room as soon as possible, he just wasn't capable of the speed he wanted.

He wasn't entirely surprised when he felt someone match his strides at his side and follow him into the locker room.

"I heard what happened."

"I'm pretty sure the whole hospital heard what happened." House replied undoing his button-down.

Wilson sighed softly and sat on one of the benches in the room.

"You okay?" He asked as House pulled his shirt over his head and reached for another.

"Yeah," House replied automatically, before putting on another shirt and slumping on to the bench "Actually no."

Wilson waited assuming that he would continue.

But he remained silent.

After a few silent minutes, House stood and drew a fresh button down from the bag in his locker, before pulling it roughly across his shoulders.

"I have to get back." He said unhooking his cane from the locker door.

"House, talk to me."

"There's nothing to say!" he yelled, slamming his locker shut before heaving a deep sigh, "She's hurting because of me; I have to help her."

"Then go, do what you have to, help her." Wilson said encouragingly.

"I... I don't know how." House admitted almost painfully.

"Just be there for her. Its all any of us can really do."

House sighed and scrubbed his hand across his face, exhaustion still entirely evident in his expression. An exhaustion he was doubtful a few hours of sleep would cure.

"I have to get back to her. I promised."

* * *

A/N: I realise this is mainly just an info chapter but I thought we could all use a little breather from all that drama. Hope you liked hearing about Cam's family. 


	20. Chapter 20

House entered the room as quietly as possible.

"She's still asleep." Martha's voice sounded softly confirming his suspicions.

She still sat at Cameron's bedside, the blankets showing signs of recently being flustered over and straightened. William sat in another chair at her side.

"Right." he answered rather uncomfortably, unsure whether to continue into the room or go back into the hall.

William could see you younger man's reluctance to leave and reluctance to stay.

"Pull up a chair or something." he offered, trying to sway the man's decision.

"I'll stand."

William glanced at his leg.

House stared determinedly back as he rested his shoulders against the wall. He could feel the beginnings of a familiar ache in his thigh but he did not reach for his Vicodin, he taken two pills not ever 40 minutes ago and for some reason he didn't want William or Martha to catch on to his habit.

He could hold out for an hour or so.

Two hours later and there was little to no change but the build up of pain and stiffness in his thigh.

Then Cameron's soft moan permutated the quiet that had descended in the room. She moaned again as the full force of consciousness returned and with it the pains of her stressed shoulder.

House's awkward painful gait carried him to her side; he poured water into a glass and popped two pills from one of the vials still sitting on her bedside, wishing he could do the same with the vial in his own pocket.

Just a few more minutes.

"Cameron." he said quietly trying to draw her into the real world.

She groaned in response.

William coughed behind him in a slightly disapproving manor.

"Allison." House said quieter still.

She didn't make a noise; instead she half opened one eye and looked on him with suspicion.

"Don't look at me like that, your dad made me. Now take your pills like a good little patient."

She rolled back a little careful not to let her shoulder touch the pillows behind her and reached out for the pills and water in turn, swallowing them with a relieved sigh on her lips.

"It'll take about twenty minutes for those to kick in." he said almost apologetically as he slowly retreated to his position leaning against the wall.

Her half closed eyes followed him until he settled his shoulders against the wall before turning to her parents almost fearful of what she would see in their eyes.

Martha had tears in her eyes when her daughters gaze met hers.

"Hi mom." Cameron whispered.

"I was so worried." she said tentatively stretching out her hand to take Cameron's, afraid to embrace her daughter and be the cause of her pain.

"I'm fine." Cameron answered, almost unsure of her own words.

"Of course you are sweetheart, you're stronger than that." William said proudly, his arm draped across Martha's shoulders, and then glancing at House he continued, "And you're in good hands."

"Yeah, he's a real Mother Teresa." she scoffed with a smirk and a smile in her eyes.

"Don't let it get around the hospital." he replied with his own small smile.

The Cameron's began chattering in soft tones about previous trips to the hospital, the occasional laugh about the escapades of one of Jeremy's battles of the backyard accidents or one of Rick's kitchen fires and Allison's attempts to deliver first aid.

House felt as though he was intruding on "family time" but William's occasional warm glances in his direction kept his fears and apprehension at bay but soon he became restless and uncomfortable which didn't go unnoticed by either Cameron or William; though neither of them knew it was mostly due to the shooting pains through his non-existent thigh muscle.

"Well, I'm famished." William sighed.

"Trust you to think of your stomach." Martha admonished.

Cameron yawned, wincing as her chest expanded and made her shoulder shift painfully.

House frowned.

"It **is** the way to a man's heart." William protested.

"I already have yours." Martha said with a smile her hand reaching for his.

"That you do but I'm still hungry." he said almost pouting.

Martha sighed and rolled her eyes.

"We'll pop in later." she said in a soft tone leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"Get some rest Allie." William said repeating his Martha's movements.

"We'll see you later too, Greg?" Martha said with a smile showing she already knew the answer, her husband's grin matching her own.

House rolled his eyes and watched the two leave, reaching for his pills the second they were out of sight.

As he swallowed them, nervousness flooded his body. It was the first time they had been alone since that morning without medical distractions.

The first time they had been alone since he had admitted there was something between them.

And it scared the hell out of him.

Through his thoughts he could feel eyes on him, glancing up he saw Cameron's blue eyes were open and observing him carefully.

"Hey." She said in soft tones.

He observed her just as thoroughly.

She gently pulled herself drew herself up against the pillows at her back, still careful to keep pressure from her right side and despite her long nap, her eyes were still heavily hooded from exhaustion.

And if he listened closely he could hear signs of that exhaustion in her voice.

"Hey." He replied gruffly not moving from his perch against the wall.

Something Cameron did not fail notice.

"I'm not contagious you know." she said in a joking tone.

He smiled slightly. "I beg to differ." he said seriously, the glimmer of laughter in his eyes revealing his amusement at her words.

"Get over here." she said ordered almost jokingly.

"I don't want to catch cooties." he argued.

"Didn't you get your shot in third grade?" she shot back, barely containing her grin.

"I was out of the country." he replied smugly.

She sighed knowing she'd lost, even so a smile continued to tug at her lips.

"House." she admonished in a barely audible plea.

"Fine, fine."

But as he drew closer, all the playfulness fell away, he came to a stop at her side, and their gazes locked in an intense battle.

He wanted to hold her.

He wanted to kiss her.

He wanted to wrap his arms around her, press his lips to hers and kiss away their troubles.

But he held back; he stood inches from the bed just out of reaching distance.

He did not deserve to loose his troubles so wonderfully.

"You okay?" he asked his voice crackling with worry and concern as he hooked his cane on the bedside cabinet.

"I'm fine." she answered automatically.

"I don't believe you."

"I'm fine." she said in a dangerous whisper.

"Cameron." he replied in a knowing tone.

"What happened to 'Allison'?" she mocked with a charming smile.

"Don't change the subject." he admonished.

Her smile fell and her gaze dropped; she sat silently before him.

" Cam..." House started.

"Okay!" She groaned, before admitting in an exhausted sigh. "My shoulder hurts like hell, I feel like I've just been run over by a train and I don't think I've ever been so tired in my life."

"Then sleep." he suggested, shuffling almost imperceptivity closer.

"I…I... um..."

"I'm not going anywhere." he said in a low soothing tone, drawing closer still.

She looked up at him with her eyes still filled with fear.

She blinked slowly, the pull toward sleep so strong that it required effort to open her eyes each time.

After a few moments, she frowned as if considering something utterly profound.

He watched as he saw her almost visibly come to a conclusion and then looked on almost confused as that conclusion made her to slide down the bed, turn fully onto her left side and shuffle to the opposite side of the small bed leaving a large expanse of mattress just inches away from his aching tired body.

It was one of the most inviting sights ever to lie before him.

"I'm not contagious." he said echoing her words, still holding back.

She smiled softly, her eyes fluttering closed for a short eternity.

When she opened her eyes they begged him to fill the void between them.

He could not deny her.

He sighed.

She smiled softly.

He toed off his sneakers and pulled himself carefully onto the bed. Lying down next to her he drew the blanket across their bodies, but still maintained distance, those precious few inches between them; despite this her soft form still warmed his broken body.

Some uncomfortable minutes passed, he could see her body was tense out of the corner of his eye.

He breathed out heavily, "Come on then." he said moving his right arm above his head.

She smiled and shuffled closer, wincing slightly as her right arm came to a tentative rest over his chest.

House brought his arm down and around her, his bandaged hand resting at the curve of her waist, his left hand reaching for her right, his fingertips trailing over the back over her hand.

Her skin was so soft and smooth like the ivory colored keys of his baby grand piano. The guitar-string-roughened pads of his fingertips played a delicate lullaby across her skin, hoping to ease her to sleep.

Her womanly curves pressed wonderfully against his side.

She hummed softly, her breath tickling his neck as he felt her body relax against his.

But despite this relaxation, both of them were entirely aware of her shoulder in a dangerous position between them.

"Are you going to sleep now?" he asked softly, a melody still playing in his mind and through his fingers.

"Maybe." she said sleepily, her eyelids fluttering closed.

"Maybe?"

"Yeah."

"I see; you're just trying to take advantage of me again aren't you?" his voice rumbled in a playful tone.

"Ah, you have discovered my dastardly plan."

"I knew it you little nympho." he teased, "Sexually harassing your vulnerable boss."

"You aren't vulnerable." she muttered dismissively.

He sighed softly and stopped his song, his hand coming to rest over hers.

"I am."

She lifted and turned her head in attempt to look in his eyes.

He waited a moment before meeting her curious gaze.

"I am where you're concerned." he said moving his hand from hers and brushing stray strands of hair from her eyes.

He could feel her breath catch against his side.

He glanced from her almost questioning eyes to her lips.

Tipping his head he claimed them with his own short moments later, if only to drive the questions from her mind but he knew it was more that that.

He needed to reassure her.

He needed to reassure himself.

She contentedly returned his kiss, parting her lips slightly to nibble on his bottom lip.

They pulled back just a few moments later.

Her head resting on his shoulder once more.

His long digits resuming their lullaby.

"Just as well we stopped." he muttered with a relieved sort of sigh, "We're still in no condition to test the romping capabilities of the hospital beds."

He could feel her smile against his clothed chest.

"Another time then." she answered, the vibrations of her voice shaking through his chest and causing his heart rate to sky rocket momentarily.

"Are you going to sleep now?" he asked almost tentatively.

"You think just 'cos I got a goodnight kiss I'll pass right out." she mumbled.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" she enquired. "Are you going to take advantage of me in my sleep?"

"Only if you dream of me." he said cheekily.

"I'm done for." she muttered the fingers of her right hand curling slightly, under his fingers and over his heart.

"You dream about me?!" he said disbelievingly, even so his tone was playful too.

She giggled slightly, shaking at his side, her shoulder jostling at the movement.

"Don't make me laugh." she pleaded, with tangs of pain laced through her voice.

"I don't mean to but sometimes I can't help it." he said teasingly, the slightest hint of apology in his words.

"I'm going to sleep." she announced.

"Great." he said contentedly. "Goodnight."

"Sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." he muttered with a smile, then seconds later added, "Hang on a minute; if they don't bite you then they'll go for me."

She giggled again, jerking slightly against his side once more.

"Sorry." he mumbled an unprompted apology.

"Goodnight."

Minutes passed, his fingers continued to dance gently across her skin and her breathing began to even out, the slow rhythm matching the patterns of music in his nimble fingers. The softness of the mattress and her body enveloped him and threatened to draw him into slumber.

That was until she moved.

His fingers stopped once more.

Her body curled ever closer as she hitched her right leg over his; her thigh a gentle warm pressure against his disfigured limb and a small foot pressing against his jean clad shin.

"What are you doing?" he mumbled slightly confused and more than a little sleepy.

"Gettin' comfy." she mumbled.

His fingers remained still across her hand.

"Z'at okay?" she asked in a slightly concerned tone.

"S'fine." he answered, his lullaby beginning once again.

More minutes passed.

"Cameron." he whispered.

There was no reply.

"Allison." he whispered a little more loudly.

She breathed deeply, her hand shifting slightly over his heart, before groaning out the air she'd drawn in.

House shivered slightly at the sound; that groan in another context...

"Wha'?" she grumbled.

"Are you asleep?" he asked tentatively.

"Almost."

"Oh, okay."

"You really are just a big kid aren't you?" she said in a whisper.

"Yup." he said grinning to himself.

Silence passed between them once more.

"Is that okay?" he asked unsure of himself.

"Yeah." she said in a soft caring tone lifting the thumb of her right hand to move it soothingly over his, "Now, shut up."

"Okay, night."

"Night."

House would have thought it impossible but she managed to shift even closer to him before falling asleep.

Moments later with her warmth around him and flowing through him he gave into his own exhaustion with his scruffy chin resting gently against her hair.


	21. Chapter 21

"William, go in," Martha said in a bustling tone, "I don't want to stand around in the hallway all night."

"Look." he said to his wife with a smile pointing into the room.

Martha drew tentatively closer and looked through the glass to see her daughter curled against House's large form.

She sighed thoughtfully.

"I'm still not sure about him." her tone cautious and forlorn.

"He's a rebel, a bachelor, a bit aggressive and entirely set in his ways." Then he grinned and looked his wife directly in the eye, "He's me forty years ago. How could you not like him?"

"Yes, but then you met me." she said with a playful smile.

"And now he's got our Allie. He'd do anything to protect her, that's good enough for me. Not to mention I haven't seen Allie smile so brilliantly since John died." He sighed slightly, the memory of Cameron's grief almost too much to bear. He shook his head and continued in a soft voice, "Talk to him. Talk to Allie. He's a good man though he hides it well."

"Just like you." she said almost teasingly.

"They'll be good for each other." he said confidently looking back into the room and its occupants.

"How did you get so wise about relationships?"

"I've survived the last 40 years with you haven't I?" he quipped.

She pushed him playfully.

"Let's go," Martha almost whispered, a low toned reverence in her voice, "Those two need their rest all that has happened today."

"You can grill them all you want tomorrow. Do you want me to give him the 'If you ever hurt her...' speech?" William asked as he took her hand.

"I'll let you know if it comes to that." she said with a smile. "Besides, you taught Allie enough hand to hand combat for her to hold her own."

"That I did." he said returning her smile.

And they headed down the corridor.

Wilson watched the entire scene with fascination, though he was not close enough to hear the words and comments, he was able to get a sense of what they were discussing.

He walked towards the room with intensions of checking that Cameron was doing okay and that his friend, who was no doubt sitting in the chair at her side, wasn't taking his boredom out too hard on his Game Boy.

He stopped at the door and peered through the glass panel.

He was shocked at the scene before him.

* * *

Cuddy let loose a deep resounding sigh. 

She had just completed more than a fair share of paperwork and was currently en route to Cameron's room.

Almost half of the hospital had heard the sound of the car backfiring (herself included) and all of the nurses in the neurology department had seen what was now been circled around the rumour mill as a 'freak out'. Cuddy was more than displeased and had sent a memo to all department heads and stared down several guilty looking and gossiping nurses.

She might as well be running a day care centre if the behaviour of most of her staff was much to go by.

They were supposed to be medical professionals, but they didn't seem to realise the seriousness of the situation and the normality of such a reaction just because it was a doctor of the hospital instead of any Jane Doe.

It made her furious. She was only glad that to the best of her knowledge House did not yet know about the latest in the grapevine about his young doctor; though she knew the instant he found a hapless orderly who was unaware of his presence the full force of his fury would come down on them and the gossiping would stop instantly.

She smiled ruefully almost hoping it would be sooner rather than later.

She rounded the corner to Cameron's room and was entirely surprised to see James Wilson pressing his face against the glass door.

"You could just go in." she muttered contemptuously.

Wilson jerked back guiltily to look upon the face of a rather annoyed and seemingly coffee deprived boss.

"I don't want to disturb them." he replied quietly as if a he were a scorned child.

"Them?" she asked curiously, her eyebrows lifting.

Wilson grinned mischievously and moved indicating that she should see for herself.

Cuddy frowned at him slightly before drawing closer and looking into the room.

She audibly gasped at the sight.

"But...but..." she stuttered.

"Yeah, I know." he said with a smile.

"Is this just guilt?" she asked curiously glancing in his direction, "Do you think it'll all go back to normal once she's recovered?"

"House will be House regardless, but I certainly hope not." he said looking upon his friend, "And I'm pretty sure it won't."

"You know something." Cuddy said warily, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"No, I don't." he replied all too quickly.

" Wilson."

Her tone was low and warning.

"He... urghm... he likes her." he muttered, unhappy about how easy it was for her to pull secrets from him.

How easy it was for any woman to pull secrets from him; he just couldn't lie to them, hence three failed marriages.

"Really?" she enquired, glancing back into the room as if trying to search House's face for any indication that it was true.

Then again House did have his arms wrapped around her which should have been evidence enough of his feelings.

"More than likes her, apparently." he whispered furtively.

"He told you this?"

"Yeah." he replied, his tone despondent as her knew he was betraying his friend's confidence.

"Please don't say anything." He begged.

"I won't." she said honestly. "Just try to stop him from messing it up this time."

"I'm pretty sure he'll do that himself." Wilson said with a strange sly grin as he watched House draw Cameron ever so slightly closer whilst deep in his slumber.


	22. Chapter 22

House had woken two or three times during the night to the sounds of soft whimpers and a fist clutching furiously at his shirt. Eyes still closed, he murmured in quiet tones and held her close until the sounds that seemed to shatter his soul stopped and the breathing of his sleeping partner slowed and evened out.

Despite these interruptions, when he woke for the final time to the soft morning light that seeped through the window and filled the room, he could not remember feeling that well rested or content in the longest of times.

Even the throb of his thigh felt less beneath the warm weight of her lithe leg.

He settled back into the soft pillows, deeper into her delicate embrace and revelled in the feel of her soft skin beneath his wandering fingers once more.

He had no idea what time it was when he woke but he guessed it was around 20 minutes later that the teasing movements of his digits brought Cameron gently out of slumber.

She hummed gently and shifted slightly against his side.

He smiled feeling her toes curl against his shin.

"Morning." he muttered.

"Mornin'," she replied sleepily.

He reached toward her bedside intent on reaching for pills to stop the pain she was no doubt feeling.

"No." she whispered her hand clutching at his shirt once more.

"No, what?" he asked in a concerned tone moving his hand to cover hers once more.

"Just no anything, just stay." Her words shivering through his chest.

"But aren't you in pain?"

"It can wait." She said breathing deeply and moving her small hand to intertwine with his.

They closed their eyes enjoying the warmth and feel of the other at their side.

Her leg shifted ever so slightly over his before it froze mid-movement, the warm pressure he had become accustomed to severely reduced in the smallest of seconds.

"Are you in pain?" she asked worriedly, her fingers wriggling wonderfully against his.

"It can wait." he said brushing his lips across her hair.

Her leg shifted slightly higher and rested deliciously where hips met thigh making a warmth pool in his belly and somewhere slightly lower.

His right hand squeezed until pain fired up and down his forearm as a sign of approval.

"So, are we just going to stay like this all day?" he asked tentatively wishing that he could do just that.

"Maybe. You don't want to?"

"It's nice and all, very nice, and not to mention a fantastic excuse for me not to do clinic hours but I only mention it because your mom and dad will probably show up at any moment and I'm in not in any sort of mood for getting my ass kicked." he said matter-of-factly, his thumb brushing hers in long soothing strokes.

"They've already seen us." she replied tersely.

"What?!" he whispered.

Cameron was not at all accustomed to hearing fear in House's voice, but she had heard it all too often this past week and immediately sought to quell his fears.

"They said they'd visit me again last night," she murmured as she stared out in to the bright blue of the morning. "We fell asleep before the came and I assume since you are still here and still alive my dad isn't going to kick your ass."

"Maybe he's just waiting for you to finish sleeping," he thought out loud, then continuing in a low conspiring tone, "Hurry, pretend to be asleep and I'll live."

"I'll protect you." she whispered secretly with a smile.

"A waif like you? How could you possibly protect me?" he scoffed.

"I'll just tell him I was taking advantage of you and not the other way around." she said confidently.

"Why do I get the feeling that you could turn against me at any moment?" he asked warily.

"Because I could, so behave." she warned good-naturedly.

He chuckled and breathed, "Impossible."

"I know," she said with a quiet giggle, "I don't know what I was thinking."

Even through a thick layer of bandages and her hospital gown his deft fingers could sense the tension that swept through her body as her small laughter caused her pain.

"Do you want your pills now?" he asked softly, his broken hand moving gently up and down her side; careful not to go too high, careful not to go too low.

"Don't leave just yet." she whispered her fingers gripping his more tightly.

"I won't even move," he said returning her grip before reaching for the correct vial on the cabinet at their side.

"Now, this is going to need teamwork." he sighed.

He held the bottle as she fumbled with the cap and then picked two pills from the vial and laid them on his chest.

He continued to hold it as she replaced the top before he returned it to its place on the cabinet and reaching for the Vicodin nestled in his pocket and repeating the process.

He reached for the glass on the cabinet, a sip of water left in the bottom from the night before; it wasn't ideal but given that he couldn't actually get up and pour a new glass or open a bottle of water it was a reasonable compromise.

"Ladies first."

She smirked and shook her head before downing her pills with a relieved sigh and a drop of water lingering on her lips.

House was more than tempted to take that moist droplet for himself but the call of the Vicodin that lay over his heart was too strong. He swallowed the pills expertly and tipped what was left of the water in his mouth to rid him of the powdery taste of drugs and the stale taste of morning.

"You should have let me give you those as soon as you woke up." he said after settling the glass on the cabinet once more.

He breathed deeply feeling her body settle around him, the lingering scent of a fruity shampoo assaulting his senses and the warmth that spread through his body because of her proximity.

It felt entirely glorious and addictive.

"Well, I've got them now." she said contently as his hand returned to hers.

He lifted her fingers he splayed his hand against hers marvelling at how small and soft it was compared with his own. Even so when his fingers pressed between hers they fit together almost unbelievably well.

He unlinked his fingers and lifted his broken hand from her waist.

"Where are you going?" she asked worriedly.

"Nowhere." he said almost cheekily as her pushed her right hand closer to her body before carefully turning and sliding down the bed until they lay face to face.

He had spent the morning enjoying the feel of her body pressed so close to him, the warmth and softness it provided but despite this wonder and comfort he wanted to see the warmth of her eyes and softness of her smile.

"Now I can see you." he explained quietly.

Her head rested on his arm, little more than a few inches from his own. Her leg was now draped entirely over his hips and held him close to her.

He smiled when her hand rested against his cheek.

"What is this?" she asked with worry glistening in her eyes.

"God they must have really fried your brain; it's called stubble Cameron."

Her eyes stared into his very being and made him want draw her close and promise her the world.

"I don't know." he whispered. "But I do know that I will not let you go through this on your own. I don't know what will happen when all is said and done but I want to be here right now as long as you want me here."

Their eyes remained connected as she leaned forward and pressed a tentative kiss on his lips.

She pulled back moments later her eyes searching his for resistance but finding none.

She smiled softly and brushed her fingers against his rough skin before bringing her lips to his once more.

This time the touch lingered and House responded to her kiss by tipping his head and parting his lips slightly.

He smiled feeling her toes curl against the back of his denim clad leg once more.

His left hand gripped her waist tightly enough to convey his want, enjoyment and the slightly possessive nature she knew he was capable of but entirely careful not to bruise or mark her fragile and already broken form.

He felt a flicker of her soft moist tongue across his lips before she pulled back. Her fingers still moving gently across his skin, trailing down his neck and teasing at his collar bone.

"I want you here." she said softly and ever so slightly breathless.

"Okay." he whispered, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, those pain killers are just starting to kick in."

"That's not what I meant." he said in a soothing and encouraging tone.

Despite the amount of time he'd spent with her over the past few days they had spoken very little of the incident itself, focusing mainly on what was changing between them and her recovery.

But he knew talking about it had to be a part of her recovery too.

"I don't know." she said quietly staring at the pattern on his shirt, "How am I supposed to feel?"

"You're not supposed to feel anything, just tell me what that head of yours is thinking; I can practically hear the cogs turning."

"I'm scared." she whispered, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "I'm scared that someone could walk in with a gun at any moment. I'm scared that I could be shot again. I'm scared that you..."

House cringed inwardly at her pause, imagining her finally coming to her senses and blaming him for her being shot.

Several tears loosened from her eyelashes and began to trail across her cheek.

"I'm scared that you won't be there. I'm scared that he could have shot you. And I'm scared of the fact that I need you to feel safe."

"Yes it does seem like backwards logic then again I'm scarier than most things." he joked lightly brushing his thumb across her cheek to absorb salty tears, and then in a more serious tone continued "It's okay to be afraid."

"I'm not going anywhere." he promised.

She huddled towards him, her head buried against his chest and silent tears seeping though his shirt. He sighed and cradled her gently, smiling slightly as he felt the tension flow from her body as she fell into slumber in his shadow.

He wanted her to feel safe.

He needed her to feel safe.

For his own sake as well as hers.


	23. Chapter 23

House cradled her gently in her deep slumber, enjoying the warmth her body offered and the soft soothing sounds of her breathing.

Even now she felt fragile and precious within his embrace.

He didn't know what he'd do if he lost her.

The sound of her breaths changed.

Cameron let loose a pained whimper against his chest, the sound shivering through him and threatening to break his heart.

House whispered nonsense words into her hair, guessing accurately that just the sound and tone of his voice and the warmth of his embrace enough to keep her calm through her nightmare.

Her small hand clutched tightly at his shirt.

"Shh, it's okay," he murmured just as the door to the room opened.

House froze.

He looked up, his eyes meeting a warm yet perceptive gaze.

Martha Cameron closed the glass door behind her.

Cameron moaned into his chest, the very sound sending chills down his spine.

Martha turned to the bed a look of worry a fear in her eyes; she drew silently closer longing to comfort her daughter.

But Gregory House seemed to have it covered.

"Cameron," he murmured focusing on Cameron and Cameron alone, instantly forgetting the presence of her mother, his hand returning to its soothing movements, "I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"I'm here." he said softly brushing a kiss across her hair.

Martha smiled softly, many of her doubts fading away but even so she found it almost impossible to shake the slight feeling of trepidation about her daughter's involvement with him.

Or rather his involvement with her.

But she smiled none the less seeing a great deal of the "good man" her husband had mentioned.

House sighed softly feeling her whimpers subside.

Her hold on his shirt was just as strong; it seemed this nightmare was more persistent than those previous. House continued to rub soothing patterns against the small of her back until her grip relaxed and her palm pressed against his fast beating heart.

"Has she... the nightmares?" Martha stammered.

"Every night since she's been off morphine." House said regarding Cameron softly, her breaths now regular and soothing against his chest.

"I didn't... I didn't know. I should have..."

"I've been here."

There was something in his tone of voice, as if he was entirely content to have his sleep disrupted and to be so needed and depended upon.

Martha regarded him thoughtfully for the longest time.

"Martha what's...?" William's voice sounded as he stepped into the room.

House froze once more, wishing Cameron was awake to "protect" him. Instead he held her ever so slightly closer.

"Well, good morning." he said in a more than smug tone.

"Mr and Mrs Cameron it's..." House began worriedly.

"Now what did we say, it's William and Martha to you." William drew closer and slipped an arm around his wife's waist sharing a short poignant look with her before returning his gaze to a worried looking and slightly squirming House.

"It's not... she um..." House stuttered, unable to remember the last time he felt this nervous.

"And how is my darling daughter." William asked purposely changing the subject of the position House and his daughter were in.

"She's still asleep," Martha answered, then her tone grew concerned and worrisome "She's been having nightmares."

William glanced at House, who sighed and nodded slightly.

"A few times every night. But she only woke up once." Then he continued in a grave and despondent tone, "That was my fault, I didn't wake up in time."

House dared not look up, afraid of what he'd see in their eyes.

Cameron began to stir once more, though this time as if she was waking; House drew his hand from her back carefully and brought it to her cheek.

"Cameron." House murmured, brushing his thumb across her soft skin.

William coughed in a familiar condescending manor.

"Allison." House said in an even softer tone.

She moaned deliciously into his chest, her leg hitching almost imperceptivity higher around his hips.

House bit his tongue to keep from growling appreciatively in response.

"Allison, wake up." he said in the most normal tone he could muster, which was a little strained at best.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see William grinning slyly.

She hummed gently and opened one experimentally to test the light of the room, leaning back slightly to meet his gaze with half opened lids.

"Isn't this when you normally disappear?" she mumbled sleepily.

House chuckled slightly. "Not that it isn't great to hear that you dream about me but I didn't exactly imagine it happening with your parents in the room."

"My parents?" she asked, her voice still fogged with slumber.

"They're standing right behind you."

"Urgh." she groaned pressing her forehead to his chest.

House smiled against her hair and wrapped his arm around her waist once more.

"Morning sweetheart," Martha said in an overly bright tone.

"Hey mom." came Cameron's muffled reply, still wrapped up in House's arms.

She wracked her brains, searching for a more embarrassing situation but failed to come up with the goods. This was by far **_the_ **most intimate looking embrace her parents had ever her seen her in, the shadow of her leg around his waist making an innocent situation appear like some sort of sexual liaison.

And with her forty-something employer no less.

But despite the crimson on her hidden cheeks she wasn't about to move from his arms, she felt too safe, too warm and too comfortable for her embarrassment to move her.

"Well...umm..." William said a little unsure of himself and picking up on Cameron's obvious discomfort. "We'll just head down for some breakfast, you two want anything?"

Cameron shook her head.

"She'll need something with her next dose of painkillers." House murmured in a normal though thoughtful tone.

"Okay." William replied, his tone equally schooled, "We'll be back soon Allie."

"Okay Dad." she murmured.

She heard the sound of the door opening and closing.

"Oh. My. God." she groaned.

House very nearly laughed, the melodic sound seeming to echo around the room and relieve a lot of the tension that had formed thick and tangible around them.

"It's not funny." she said with a smile and pushing at his chest.

She hissed at the sudden pain that seared through her shoulder.

"It is." he said, his left hand moving soothingly against her back once more, "And if you hadn't insisted on getting so comfortable..."

His hand skimmed lightly down her back, across her hips and along her thigh; both of them delighting in the feel of skin against skin.

" ...then it wouldn't even be half as embarrassing."

Her breathing was fast against his thrumming heart.

"If my parents came in now it would be even worse."

"Why?" he said glancing down at where his hand was on her thigh, "It doesn't look any different."

"Until I do this."

At which point she leaned forward and captured his lips in a deep and searing kiss.

For the smallest of seconds he was reluctant to return her kiss for fear of hurting her, for fear of his own pain, both emotional and physical. But the mere taste of her and insistent touch of her lips dissolved his doubt and made him return with equal zest.

His broken hand cradled her head to his ravenous kiss, but from the hand pressing at the back at his own neck and the fervour of her kiss it was entirely unnecessary.

Her leg gripped hard around his hips, holding his body to her.

His hand skimming across her skin and gripping her supple lithe thigh.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed a familiar voice.

"Ah!" Cameron groaned in pain as she jolted back from House and his wondrous kiss, her shoulder slamming mercilessly against the rail at her bedside.

House looked up to see Wilson standing in the doorway with his hand half over his eyes.

"Aw Jimmy look what you did!" House admonished, his once wandering hand returning to her back and resuming its calming movements once more and holding her away from the rail that struck her shoulder.

"Well sorry for being shocked," Wilson said closing the door behind him and pulling the blinds so that they covered the transparent door, "I would have thought you two could wait until you got home before you jumped each other."

"I tried but she wanted me now." House quipped.

"House," Cameron admonished, pain still laced through her voice.

House playful nature faded away instantly.

"Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?"

Both of them knew she couldn't take anymore painkillers without food.

"I would suggest kissing me and letting the endorphins take care of it but I fear Wilson might lose his sight."

"Oh please, oh please save my burning eyes." Wilson pleaded drawing closer.

"Stop whining." House growled at Wilson before softening his voice as he turned to Cameron, "I think we should move before your parents come back."

"They saw you like that?!" Wilson exclaimed.

"We weren't making out at the time but yeah." House answered nonchalantly, "And it's already embarrassing enough without you making a big deal out of it."

"House, don't go just yet." Cameron asked quietly sliding her leg somewhat reluctantly from his hips.

"I'll steal some of your breakfast." he answered, letting her know he'd wait until either one of them cleared her plate.

Or until Daddy kicked him out.

He rolled onto his back and cautiously drew himself up against the pillows before staring expectantly down at his sleeping partner.

Cameron grinned and shuffled stiffly up the small bed and to his side, her head on his shoulder and her leg stretched across his once more.

His hand rested on her hip as his fingers laced with hers and rested on his rising and falling chest.

Wilson smiled as he watched them in this new comfortable aura that surrounded them.

"Don't even think about saying it Jimmy." House warned.

"You guys are so cute." he said sincerely with a smile.

House huffed and glared at his so called friend.

Cameron looked equally unhappy with Wilson's words.

Neither of them wanted to put pressure on whatever it was that was going on between them.

Wilson held up his arms in defence but drew closer to the glaring couple none the less.

"Right, point taken. So, how are we this morning? Very well I'd assume." he said with a wide grin.

"We're fine." House answered succinctly.

Wilson rolled his eyes at House's abruptness.

"I've just spoken to Foreman," Wilson stated, "He said that he's got the MRI and CT machines cleared for around 2 o'clock, so we'll be round to pick you up around ten to."

"What?" Cameron asked lifting her head from House's shoulder, eyeing Wilson in confusion before staring expectantly up at House. "What's he talking about?"

House sighed softly, "We want to scan your head to make sure there isn't any visible brain damage."

"But I'm fine… all the tests..." she stammered.

"Cameron," House interrupted intently meeting her worried gaze, "I... We're worried about you. You said that he shot you; that he shot you yesterday and your moods have been a little off. I ... we... I just want to help you. I just want to make sure you're safe."

"Please." he asked softly, his thumb brushing hers.

"Okay." she said agreeing to the tests, "But don't think it'll get you any closer to figuring out how I think."

"Oh that would take years." he joked enjoying the weight of her head returning to his shoulder.

Wilson smiled at them once more, glad that something good could come from such a terrible occurrence. But even as he saw a shinning light in House's eyes he knew that there was a great deal of guilt lingering just beneath the surface.

And by the pained sadness in Cameron's eyes, he knew she could see it too.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the wait - this chapter took ages to try to get the 'flow' right. And even now I'm pretty sure it's a little 'off' for which I appologise. I do have clear ideas for future chapters so please try to bear with me. Thanks, m.


	24. Chapter 24

House stayed until Cameron's plate was clear, the six slices of toast divided unevenly between them.

She inhaled four slices and gratefully swallowed her painkillers, he chewed two thoughtfully.

He moved the now empty plate to the tray that lay on the bedside cabinet and then returned to his place in Cameron's delicate tentative embrace, his hand covering hers once more.

He could think of no reason why he should move.

No reason to not sink further and deeper into her arms.

No reason to stop him from kissing her all day despite the presence of her parents and Wilson in the room.

It was all he wanted.

He tensed.

Which was why he suddenly **needed** to be as far away from he as possible.

Cameron could feel the exact moment that she lost him; his whole body seemed to tense and his hand slipped from atop hers.

"I...er..." he stuttered as he moved toward the edge of the bed.

"Go get changed." Cameron with an almost sad sigh. "Can you come back when I go for my scans?"

The tone ripped through his entire body and made him shiver.

"Sure." he said nonchalantly and not meeting her eyes as he pulled on his sneakers.

Glancing around House saw William's curious disappointment and Wilson's resigned animosity as they sensed something had suddenly thrown the easiness between him and Cameron.

House kept his gaze low as he picked up his cane.

He turned to Cameron, the sight of the emotions in her eyes renewing a feeling he had become infinitely more accustomed to in the past week.

A feeling that swept over you like a cold wet blanket.

Guilt.

"I'll see you later." he said with a feigned bright tone and a strained smile.

House moved towards the door as slowly as his frazzled nerves and frantic thoughts would allow; he ignored Wilson's accusing glare that bored into his back and wrench of every fibre of his body telling him to turn back.

But this feeling was what propelled him from the room and made him race down the hall.

He didn't slow until the cool morning air rushed against his face as he emerged onto the roof of the hospital.

He sat on the cold unforgiving stone in the shadows wondering exactly what the hell he was doing.

He searched his mind for a distraction.

But there was no song he didn't connect with her, no memory that didn't involve her or would be better for her presence and no fantasy without her at the centre of it.

He couldn't get away from her even in his own mind.

He was in trouble.

* * *

"I thought I'd find you here." Wilson said in a quiet reserved tone. 

House didn't answer.

Wilson drew closer and sat down next his friend with a sigh on his lips.

"So." Wilson said by way of starting a conversation.

"So, what?" House snapped back.

Wilson smiled humourlessly.

"I don't think I've ever seen someone make such a burden of love."

House groaned and pressed his hands to his face mumbling, "If I hadn't got her shot everything would still be the same, be the way it should be."

"Who's to say this wouldn't have happened anyway?"

House shot him his best 'duh' look.

"Right sorry, I forgot your master plan to get into a real relationship with another human being for the first time in years; push them away until they give up on you. And it was working **_so_** well. She slept with Chase and everything." Wilson's tone entirely mocking and sarcastic.

House's eyes flashed darkly at the mention of Chase and Cameron's rendezvous just a few months previous.

"House..." Wilson sighed, "Yes you might have chosen not to act on your feelings if this hadn't happened but you wouldn't be any happier for it. Definitely not. You realise now how much she means to you and had a glimpse at the grief of loosing her. Those feelings are real, they where there before the guilt, you know it and I know it. It's going to take a while for you to get used to caring about someone other than yourself for a change but it'll be worth it."

A short silence spun between the two.

House breathed deeply, "How can you be sure?"

"I saw you smiling this morning. And I mean really smiling." Wilson let a smile tug at the corners of his own mouth as he turned to look House in the eye, "You looked happy House."

"I... I felt happy." House admitted slowly and reluctantly.

"Then what the hell are you doing up here?"

House turned from his friend and stared up at the clear blue skies.

"It was too much. I... James..." He said instantly causing a slight frown to dawn on Wilson's features. House never called him James. "I don't know what… what I'm feeling. There's just too much."

"What do you want to do?" Wilson asked quietly.

"I want to grab my bike and make a break for Mexico."

"Really?" Wilson said sceptically.

House sighed.

"No." He said scrubbing his hands across his face, "I don't know."

"Things could go back to the way they were." Wilson started in a thoughtful tone.

House's heart ached at the mere mention of it.

"You could ignore and put her down."

He couldn't imagine being half as cruel as he was before after he'd whispered her dreams away.

"And she'd run faster from you than she did before."

He couldn't imagine watching her running from him after she had settled so wonderfully in his embrace.

"It would hurt but it's an option." Wilson concluded.

Hurt was a severe understatement.

House shook his head.

"It's not an option." House said in a gravely serious tone.

"Just take you're time to get your head around this. She's waited for you for such a long time already I don't think a few more days will change much. She'll wait for you."

"That's what William said." House murmured with a soft smile.

"Who?"

"Mr Cameron."

"Getting friendly with the in-laws already?" Wilson teased.

"For that you're buying lunch," House said picking up his cane and pulling himself awkwardly to stand.

Wilson stood with far more ease; House couldn't escape the pang of jealousy that shot through him at the sight.

"When do I ever **not** buy lunch?"

"I paid for breakfast a few days ago." House argued.

"Only because your girlfriend stopped giving you the silent treatment." Wilson quipped in a light hearted tone moving towards the door.

House chuckled silently and followed his friend from the roof.

Doubts and fears still clouded his mind.

But he felt lighter.

Nothing had been resolved.

But it didn't need to be.

At least, not yet.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the wait guys. I know this probably wasn't worth it but I'll try to make it up to you soon. Thanks for sticking with me and the story. m


	25. Chapter 25

House and Wilson were a morose and thoughtful pair as they walked through the corridors of PPTH.

There was a small congregation around the nurse's station ahead with a male nurse at the centre of it all.

They slowed.

House stiffened at the sound of a boisterous mocking voice.

"... and I'm mean completely freaked out." he said with a laugh in his voice, "Screaming and throwing medical equipment around like she belonged in the psych ward."

He laughed loudly.

A few of those around him chuckled tentatively, most looked a little unsettled but none the less lapped up all the gossip like hungry dogs.

House's eyes flashed and he turned on his heal and moved swiftly from the pack.

"House, where are you going?" Wilson asked chasing after him.

"I'm going to get my gun." he growled.

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to shoot that little piece of shit and see how he deals with it!" House roared.

Everyone around him came to a stop and stared at him.

House turned to his audience with a rage in him he'd rarely felt before.

"What's so funny about attempted murder, huh? Come on, I love a good joke as much as the next guy." Suddenly the fake light tone was gone from his voice replaced with venom and malice, "Tell me how the attempted murder of a doctor or this hospital funny?"

His blazing eyes fell on the male nurse now quivering where he stood.

"You!" House shouted pointing his cane at him and hobbling forward as fast as he could.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" House said in a dangerous low tone as he drew to his full and towering height over him.

"I... uh..." he stuttered.

"Shut up!" House bellowed. "You have no right to comment on Doctor Cameron's recovery. She was shot for crying out loud! You would never be able to deal with being shot with even half her courage or dignity. Nothing you have been through could possibly compare to what she's had to deal with this week; the most traumatic thing that probably happened to you was premature ejaculation on your wedding night and pissing your pants in grade school you pathetic piece of shit!"

House leaned forward until he was almost nose to nose with the target of his anger, staring down into petrified pools of grey and black.

"Now get out of my sight before I make sure it'll be unbearably painful to piss or ejaculate for the rest of your life." He growled.

The kid ran as fast as he could, the crowd parting to aid his escape.

"As for the rest of you." House said loudly in a threateningly and eerily calm manner, "If I hear so much as a whisper of anyone talking out of turn about Doctor Cameron, I won't go to Cuddy. I'll personally throw you from the hospital and discredit you so that even the local fast food joint won't want to hire you."

The corridors were awash with pale scared faces.

Everyone knew that House was not empty in his threats and was entirely capable of ruining their careers before they'd even truly started.

"Everyone back to work." Cuddy's voice sounded from behind him.

House turned around slowly, wondering what his boss would think of his latest outburst.

Pride and concern shone in her eyes.

House suddenly felt exhausted as if he'd collapse right there in the middle of the hall.

But there was only one place he wanted to do so.

Even though his body compelled him to crawl back into Cameron's arms he couldn't do it just yet, his mind was still deep in thought and never ceasing turmoil.

So he trudged slowly past a proud Cuddy and a shocked Wilson making his way to the elevator and the couch in the sanctuary of his office.

* * *

"Greg?" 

House didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but there was no mistaking the voice that woke him.

"Mom?" he whispered hoarsely squinting at the sudden brightness in the room.

"You're sleeping in your office past 1 o'clock in the afternoon?" his father's voice sounded harshly from the window as he tugged the blinds the rest of the way open.

"What are you doing here, mom?" House said embracing his mother who now sat next to him on the couch.

"Your mother wanted to see a new show in New York." His father answered for her.

"I wanted to see my son," she said to House with a soft smile.

"Why didn't you call?"

"We left lots of messages," his mother said with a smile, "I thought you'd get at least one before we arrived."

"I've been at the hospital all week." House said heavily.

"Sleeping?" his father asked sceptically.

"No."

"And what happened to your hand?"

"I broke my hand on a guy's face, look I've got to go. Thanks for coming."

He kissed his mother on the cheek and left without so much as looking his father in the eye.

"Do you always have to be so hard on him?" Blythe House sighed.

"He was sleeping on the job in the middle of the day!"

"He's hurting John."

"He say's he's always hurting. Let him take his pills and ruin his life."

"I didn't mean physically." Blythe whispered angrily and stormed out of the room in search of her son.

* * *

House moved as quickly as he could to the elevator. 

His sanctuary had been breached and he needed to go where he felt safe; Cameron's arms.

He knew that he should be the one to comfort her given the recent events and her scans just an hour away but he felt completely drained and lost.

As he walked into her room he was entirely glad to see it was empty but for the woman lay out on the bed.

No words were needed. He limped toward the side of her bed and toed off his shoes.

She slid to the opposite side of the bed and turned on her side.

House moved onto the bed and slid his right arm under her neck between shoulder and pillow.

He shuffled steadily closer until their noses were almost touching and there was no space between them from shoulder to toe.

He slid his left arm around her waist, delighting in the feeling that he was exactly were he belonged.

Eyes closed, he hummed softly as she lifted her leg up over his hips as she had done that morning, her right hand resting against his cheek.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"I freaked out a little, sorry." he mumbled answering quickly and craving the rest he had been interrupted from.

"Not that. I know you need time and I'll wait, I'll be here. But something else happened though, didn't it?"

He opened his eyes slowly and met her concerned gaze.

"House." she pleaded.

"I'm fine." he said in a nonchalant tone.

"But something did happen." she ventured seeing through his vague calm answer.

House sighed softly.

"Yes."

He'd rampaged against the hospital grapevine and his parents had disturbed his recuperation; that certainly qualified as something.

"But it's not important." he reasoned.

"It is if it makes you like this."

"Cameron..."

She pressed a finger to his lips.

"Tell me." she ordered in an encouraging tone.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want you to hurt for me."

"And I don't care. I'm not hurting you again!" he said raising his voice slightly.

He breathed hard and angry for a few seconds but it faded as he saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

He brushed his right hand across her hair wishing her tears away.

"House, it wasn't your fault, so let it go already." she said softly to stop her voice from crackling.

"I can't." he whispered. "I almost lost you."

"And now you've found me." she said with a soft smile and pressing her lips to his.

House was still shocked each time she said that it wasn't his fault, without his consent his guilt shrunk a little each time.

And her kisses only aided the progress.

His arm tightened around her waist as they kissed each other desperately.

He had almost lost her.

Instead he found her and found that he could love.

"Stay." he said as their desperate fierce kiss ended just before they reached the point of stripping down despite the glass walls.

_Stay in my arms _

_Stay for our kisses _

_Stay despite my bad moods_

_Stay to hear the complements made of harsh words_

_Stay... because I love you_

"Always."

Her hand was on his chest.

Little did she know that there, in the heart that beat beneath her fingers, is where she would be until the end of his days.

They fell into slumber fast, the warmth and comfort they drew from the other drifted through them like the softest most tempting lullaby.

House and Cameron slept curled against each other once more unaware of the tearfully happy eyes of Blythe House watching over them.


	26. Chapter 26

"Good Afternoon."

"Hello." Blythe answered as she glanced the mystery woman, eyeing her up and down but finding it hard to stop her gaze from wandering back to her sleeping son.

"Who are you and why are you standing outside my daughter's room?" Martha Cameron asked in a brisk slightly unfriendly tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm…" she paused then asked nodding towards the room "That's your daughter?"

Martha nodded.

"That's my son." Blythe said with a soft proud smile and turning back to the sleeping pair.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry." Martha said genuinely. "It's just with all these glass walls you get a little paranoid; especially after what happened yesterday. I heard Greg just put a stop to the rumours this morning." She said with a soft proud smile.

"What happened?" Blythe asked curiously.

"You don't know?" Martha replied with a small frown across her brow.

"No. John and I just visited in the spur of moment. I barely said "hello" to my son before he ran from the room and came up here." she said matter of factly, "Though I think it's more to do with John's version of "hello" than anything else. I didn't even know he was seeing anyone."

"As far as I know they aren't. At least not officially anyway. They just realise what they could have lost."

"Lost?" Blythe said tentatively.

Martha began to tear up slightly. She gulped and sniffed in attempt to keep them at bay but she was fighting a losing battle.

"Hey," William drawled soothingly as he walked towards the pair and embraced his wife carefully.

"I'm okay." Martha mumbled against his shoulder.

"I see Greg wormed his was back into Allie's arms." he joked glancing at the room and casting a subtle weary eye over Blythe.

An arm still around his wife's waist he held out his hand to the other woman outside the room.

"William Cameron." he said in a friendly tone.

"Blythe House." she answered taking his hand in a firm shake.

William smiled broadly. "Well it's nice to meet you. Greg never said anything about you dropping by."

"We're just visiting. It was supposed to be a surprise but I think the joke is on me." she said glancing in the room once more, her heart warming at the sight of the delicate smile around her son's lips.

She knew he viewed happiness as a fragile thing. As a boy he had always approached the emotion with care and wariness as if afraid he'd break it. And once he had it he'd hold it quietly, he wouldn't shout and scream as other children would but smile in that soft delicate way he was doing now.

Those smiles were a rare thing throughout his life and Blythe loved the tell-tale sign of happiness on her son's face. She was happy to see signs that he was no longer destroying himself.

"What happened?" Blythe asked turning back to the parents of the woman that appeared to be the source of her son's happiness.

William took a deep solemn breath to answer...

"Blythe, where is he?" John House's voice growled suddenly.

But she didn't need to answer as his eyes fell on the pair on the bed within the room.

"He's sleeping with a patient now?!" he hissed angrily before reaching for the door.

William's hand was already there holding it shut.

"Excuse me." John said in a low authoritative tone.

"No." William replied defiantly, "You are not going to interrupt my daughter's much needed rest. You have no idea what both my daughter and your son have been through this past week. Heck, we only have a vague idea and that's already too much. She needs to rest. He needs to rest. And they need each other."

"My son has a job to do." John muttered venomously.

"And he's doing it." William replied in a cool calm manor.

"He's sleeping in the middle of the day in a patient's bed, how is that doing his job?!"

"He's taking care of my daughter and the woman he loves. And not once has Doctor Cuddy reprimanded him for any of his actions with regards to my daughter or his work."

John scoffed and stared angrily at William.

Blythe was a little shocked at the idea that her son could love again.

Martha was also suitably stunned that William was so sure it was love between the sleeping pair.

"Mr and Mrs Cameron," Foreman's voice sounded from behind the now silent quartet. "It's time for her scans."

Chase stood carefully behind Foreman, wanting to keep his distance from Mr Cameron.

"Thank you, Foreman." William said succinctly, not even glancing in the doctor's direction and still not letting anyone pass.

"Eric Foreman?" Blythe asked.

"Yes?" he answered warily.

"I'm Greg's mother. And this must be Doctor Chase."

Chase smiled.

"But where's that young girl you two work with?"

Foreman stared at her almost blankly before motioning to the room.

Chase and Foreman where shocked to see that their female co-worker was curled up against the sleeping form of their curmudgeonly boss.

Blythe was shocked once more.

John, however, was livid.

"She's his subordinate?!" he hissed before pulling hard at the door and shaking off William's grip of the handle.

House was awake instantly.

His father towered over him with an anger in his eyes he hadn't seen in years.

He felt like he was seven again; when he was thrown out into the yard with no supper and no promise of warmth or rest until sun up.

The first time it happened he almost died of hypothermia, his mother drawing a lukewarm bath for his shivering body and goose-fleshing skin as soon as his father had left for the base at 6am.

After that he stole away to the library and read all he could on survival and bush craft finding comfort in knowledge and the rules of nature.

Rules of nature didn't change; unlike the rules of the House household.

He knew now that that was when his love of knowledge had truly blossomed, he knew he could use it in his battles with his father and notch up points in secret, in the dark and coldness of the night he would steal away to the woods at the end of the yard and make his way to his camp where warm clothes, firewood, more books and a candy bar or two awaited him.

He shivered at the memories.

But he was oh so warm with Cameron pressed against his body.

He stared defiantly up at his father cradling Cameron slightly closer to him in attempt to protect her, all the while he wished she was behind him and safe from his father's words and harsh gaze.

He was glad she was still asleep.

"What do you think you are doing?!" House Senior hissed angrily.

Everyone crowded at the doorway peering into the room and watching the scene unfold.

William however drew silently and steadily closer to them.

"I was sleeping and if you leave I can go back to doing just that." House snarked in reply.

"She's your subordinate!"

"**_She_** has a name, Allison Cameron." House answered defiantly, "Yes, she is my subordinate but she's also much more than that. Now, I want you to leave."

"I don't care what you want." John muttered as he reached forward and plucked House's bandaged hand from the bed.

A bolt of fear shot through House's eyes before they scrunched shut and he bit his lip to keep from screaming at the pain.

William saw it happening and shielded the others view, but before he could stop it two dull cracks shivered through the room as House's half healed bones broke once again.

William was on him in an instant, twisting John's free arm up his back and wrapping his own arm around his neck.

The audience behind them sounded shocked gasps.

"Let go." William muttered threateningly in his ear, twisting his arm a little more for effect.

He released House's freshly broken hand without a word and offered no resistance as William pressed him face first to the wall.

"I told you not to disturb them." William hissed. "And how dare you hurt your son. Especially after the week he's been through. He's been hurt enough."

"He's **_my_** son." John murmured in reply.

William twisted his arm just that little bit further.

John groaned loudly, loud enough to wake Cameron, before hissing at the pain.

"House, what...?" she started in a quiet voice, stopping when she heard her father's voice.

"Your son made less sound when you re-broke his bones. You're pathetic. How you managed to raise a good man like him I'll never know."

"Don't you dare..." John House growled before whimpering as William pressed the slightest bit harder.

"I do dare but right now I'm going to let you go and you're going to leave. Agreed?"

Silence.

"Do I have to ask again?" William said in a coolly calm voice as if pressing a man to a wall and convincing him to do his bidding was a regular occurrence.

"No, I'll go. But I'll be back."

William released him instantly and threw him towards the exit.

"Get you're own comebacks. Even Arnie couldn't pull that off."

John glowered, and then glanced at the pair on the bed, their blue eyes regarding him with pain and curiosity before he stormed from the room through the small crowd at the door.

House groaned softly seeing Chase and Foreman staring at him in shock, he shut his eyes tight and pressed his face to the pillow in pain an embarrassment.

"Dad give us a minute."

"Sure Allie." he said moving to the door and shooing away the crowd.

The door closed with a soft thud.

"Are you okay?" Cameron whispered.

"Hmm, if I knew you're dad was so tough I never would have got in bed with you in the first place."

"You haven't taken me to bed yet." she said coyly.

House opened his eyes and glared at her slightly before smiling slightly ruefully.

"Are you okay, really?" Cameron whispered once more.

"I think so. Aside from my hand hurting like hell, my parents and fellows seeing me in bed with my other fellow, I'm just peachy."

"But your dad..." her voice trailed off, unable to say the words.

"**_Your_** dad seemed to have a handle on that."

"House."

"I'm used to it." he muttered quietly, "Let's just leave it, please."

"But..."

"I'm just sorry you were between us." He whispered.

"Why didn't you wake me? Maybe if I was awake he..."

"No." House said with a hint of fear in his voice. "It's done now. No more, please."

"Okay." she whispered leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his lips.

"Do that again." he said with a soft smile as she pulled back.

"Oh so you're done freaking out?" she asked in a mocking tone.

"Might be." he replied vaguely with a mischievous smile.

She smiled and kissed him again.

He held her close and drank her in, desperate for her warmth as the cold of his childhood lingered in his body.

The kiss was languid and slow, filled with caring that neither could deny.

"Greg, I'm not going anywhere." Cameron said reassuringly as they separated after sensing the slight desperation and worry in his kiss.

House very nearly grinned, all traces of his cold past gone from his body.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Cameron regarded him slightly curiously.

Little did she know he was grinning like a Cheshire cat because of the sound of his first name issued from those sweet red lips.

"Is this what it feels like every time I call you Allison?"

"Oh I didn't realise, I called you Greg, didn't I?"

"There you go saying it again." he said with a wide smile.

"Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg..."

"Oh god woman stop before I get a hard on."

"You haven't got one already?"

"Nope." he said rather proudly enjoying the appreciative look on her face and the lustful gaze of her eyes.

"Impressive."

"Thank you."

There was a short but poignant pause.

"You have to go." House said quietly.

"I know." she said in soft tones. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." He sighed.

"I want you to get your hand checked out."

"But..."

"You can stare at my brain all you want **after** your hand's been checked."

"Fine."

"And I'll be checking with Wilson to make sure you got it x-rayed." She warned in a motherly tone, "You're not going to see my brain until I've seen your hand."

"So, if I show you mine you'll show me yours?" he said with a leering look and squeezing her waist slightly.

"Yes." she breathed, a flash of arousal in her eyes.

"I'll hold you to that." he said softly.

"I'm sure you will."

And they kissed again.

Again I think I have a 'flow' problem. I might redo this chapter in the future. Regards mishy.


	27. Chapter 27

House stepped out into the corridor unsurprised to see a cluster of people watching him intently.

Chase and Foreman more annoyingly so.

"Chase, Foreman, start preping Cameron. She wants to get this over with as soon as possible." He said in a serious professional tone, his right hands hanging painful and limp at his side as he waited for the two Vicodin Cameron pressed to his lips moments ago to kick in.

Foreman was the first to snap to his senses and quickly made his way towards the door Chase however seemed to be in shock.

William gave him a swift clip around the ear and admonished "Take a picture it'll last longer."

Chase was instantly horrified and scared at being in such close proximity to a man who had clearly shown a dislike for him and had recently man handled an ex-marine. He moved instantly down the corridor, ducking his head and averting his gaze.

"No questions." House called threateningly after him as he stepped over the threshold, not wanting Cameron to get any hassle from the pesky wombat.

"You can stay here or go and get a coffee. It shouldn't be longer than half an hour before she's back."

"Greg..." William said worriedly, the only one to know about his hand other than John and Cameron.

"I'm fine, worry about your family." House said evasively.

"Greg, you are family." William said empathic and quiet with his hand resting on the younger man's shoulder, the older man protective of the sullen doctor.

House took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He sighed loudly.

"I'm fine." he said opening his eyes, "Go and see Allison, she's more nervous than she'll admit."

William nodded and took his wife's hand and moved towards his daughter's room.

He stopped when Martha's hand fell from his.

He turned back in time to see her reach up on her tiptoes and wrap her arms around him and kiss him lightly on his scruffy cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered, "For stopping those rumours, for giving her hope, for being there through her nightmares."

"No problem." he answered feeling awkward as she disentangled her arms from around his neck, but not leaving his space before kissing him again on the other cheek.

"Don't feel pressured with Allie; you're family now no matter what."

He nodded once, barely looking her in the eye.

"I mean it Greg." she said as his eyes reached hers.

"Martha leave the boy alone or I'll tell Allie you're moving in on her man." William said teasingly knowing House was feeling some what uncomfortable with his wife's affections.

"You're such a gossip." Martha admonished as she squeezed House shoulder reassuringly and moved towards her husband.

This left House and his mom both standing awkwardly and not looking the other in the eye.

"Gregory..."

"Mom, just leave it."

Blythe moved closer to her son, lifting her hand to cup his cheek but he turned away.

"Greg, I love you so much." she said with tears in her eyes.

She knew John had done something, there was nothing else that could explain why William had reacted the way he did and the strange and suddenly calculating way he'd looked upon her as soon he stepped out of the room.

"I know mom, I know." he said wrapping his arms around her.

All the while he kept his eyes open and alert in case his father strode around the corner.

"What did he do?" she asked quietly crying lightly against his shoulder.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does if he's still hurting you."

"Mom, I can handle it."

"You'd think he'd leave the military behind him." she whispered angrily. "It's been fifteen years."

"I know, I know. Mom I need to go right now. Stay with the Cameron's just now. Buy them coffee and gossip about me and Allison. Keep William away from Dad. I don't even want to imagine what might happen if they come face to face again. And if they do, I want to be there to see it."

Blythe pulled back and pushed her son lightly in the chest.

They shared a small smile before she became suddenly serious and said softly, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, mom. I'm fine."

"So, tell me about this girl." she said with a genuine full smile.

"Later mom, I have to go. I'll meet you back here in half an hour." he said kissing her forehead and heading back down the corridor.

He pulled William out of Cameron's room as Chase and Foreman moved Cameron to a wheelchair.

"My mom wants to gossip about Allison and I. She'll buy coffee." he said vaguely but William could see his real meaning by the worry in his eyes.

"I'll keep an eye on her. Have you...?" William glanced down at House's limp hand.

"No, she doesn't need to know. No one does." he said in a serious tone.

"Greg." William sighed placing a reassuring hand on House's shoulder.

"No, I'm going to get my hand checked out and it's only because Allison asked me to. Just leave it, please." he asked drawing strength from the warm hand on his shoulder.

Cameron's first name rolling from his tongue sounded entirely strange to him but he didn't want to hear that expectant cough again.

"Fine, but if I see him..."

"Page me I want to see it too." he said with a small smile. "I'll be waiting here for when she gets back."

"Okay, we'll meet you here."

"Thanks."

"No problem, son." he said squeezing House's shoulder and moving towards a lost looking Blythe House a little way down the hall.

"You look lost." William said by way of greeting, "Don't worry five days of wandering around here I know the place better than my own home. We'll give you the tour."

House smiled and turned to look into the room.

Cameron looked on him worriedly as Chase and Foreman began asking her inane routine questions. With no one looking he winked at her to ease her fears before retreating to the elevator and hitting the button for the diagnostics floor.

House tipped his head back in the empty car, his skull thudding slightly painfully and he closed his eyes wondering when he'd suddenly began living in a soap opera.

All he needed now was for his father to be waiting in the hall when the elevators opened and then the cheesy music would play them out.

The elevator stopped.

House viewed the doors with some trepidation.

They opened to a desolate hallway.

House breathed a sigh of relief and moved to Wilson's office.

"Do you **_have_** any patients?" House asked barging into the room surprised to find it bald person-less.

"Yes, I'm actually checking the case notes on someone being transferred to me." he answered not looking up from said case notes.

"Interesting," he said in a tone that let Wilson know he thought it was anything but interesting. "Have you got time to do an x-ray?"

"Get a nurse to do..."

"I need you to x-ray my hand again." House sighed still standing in the doorway. "Come on."

"House it's been a week since you broke them, they won't have healed yet." he said still not meeting House's gaze.

" Wilson." House barked, earning him his full attention, "I need you to x-ray my hand again. If you don't Cameron won't let me look at her CT and MRI scans."

"You could just be underhanded and steal them later."

"This is quicker. Come on." House said nodding down the hall.

Wilson sighed and followed.

* * *

"How in the hell did you brake them again?!" Wilson exclaimed as he held the x-ray up to the light.

"I fell down the stairs." House said in a deadpan tone, hopping on to the bed in exam room 3.

"House you use a cane, even if it was in your right hand you still wouldn't try to go up and down stairs."

"I walked into a door?" he said as a question.

"House," Wilson whined.

He sighed.

"My dad caught me sleeping in Cameron's bed." House said quietly.

Wilson knew little of House's childhood but from what House had told him he knew he was bullied and abused to some degree by his father.

He wanted to discuss it further but by the tone of House's voice and the way he held his body he didn't want to push on such a hard and obviously traumatic topic.

"When did your parents get here?" he asked in as normal a tone as he could muster, removing the bandage on House's hand once more.

"This morning. My mom is with Cameron's parents catching up on what's happened this week. My dad... he could be anywhere and I wouldn't care so long as he's not near me or Cameron."

Wilson didn't know what he was more shocked by; House's mom mingling with Cameron's parents or House being so protective of Cameron.

And he couldn't be sure which of the two caused House's slightly edgy behaviour as he sat fidgeting worriedly on the table.


	28. Chapter 28

House stilled on the examination table as Wilson began to strap his hand once more.

He was utterly exhausted. Tiredness seemed to sweep through his body like virus sapping him of all strength.

Too much had happened and he had had too little sleep, he was running on caffeine and faith alone.

And if truth be told he felt was fast running out of both.

Caffeine.

Cameron wasn't making his coffee, that in itself had severely reduced his normal intake but it was aided by the fact that the sludge from the vending machines could fuel cars, the coffee from the machine in the staff room was too bitter and entirely the wrong brand and the cafeteria was too far away. Even so he could never get the exact right mix of cream and sugar that Cameron seemed to have perfected.

Faith.

He didn't know where his faith was placed. In Cameron? In himself?

He hoped that he had his faith in her, he knew from experience that he could not be trusted with such matters and though it was hard to place his trust, his hopes, his desires and needs in her but he could think of no other who could be up to the task.

Was it faith in them? Together?

A singular entity that he thought and hoped they might become.

There was just too much to lose for him not to want to be with her.

Her sweet kisses, her warm body, her soft voice and the way she looked at him with that small smile and shinning eyes.

He didn't want to miss one minute of it more than he had to.

He had no idea how long it might last. He knew instinctively that it was his last shot, that after Cameron he would be done with love and love done with him so he decided to throw himself into it entirely.

Sure, he had known heartache and hated every gut wrenching second of it and though he knew he'd feel the same if not worse if they parted five years down the line, but it would pale entirely when compared with that moment when her heart stopped, that moment where he'd lost all hope and there was nothing to support him but the thin glass window that let him watch the horrific scene the threatened to make his world collapse in on itself and make him lost in the deep dark blackness of it all.

She was his light, even in times when he'd pushed her away and denied his need for her, the thought of her still comforted him as he sat at his piano with scotch and Vicodin running through his system.

But the Vicodin his body at that exact moment was concentrated on the pain in his hand and leg and was of little benefit to him otherwise.

Caffeine was almost non-existent.

But his faith... his faith felt renewed after thinking it over.

He had faith in what they could become.

He had hope for their future.

He believed in them.

"All done." Wilson said quietly, tossing odd ends in the trash and tucking the x-ray films into a folder.

"Thanks." House muttered.

"Where were you?" Wilson asked.

House looked at him in confusion.

"You looked like you were miles away."

House nodded lightly.

"Worrying about your parents?" Wilson said tentatively afraid to bring up the topic.

House smiled in a slightly creepy self-deprecating manner. "No, actually."

"Then what...?"

"Allison."

"Allison?!" Wilson said completely and utterly shocked at House's use of her first name.

House rolled his eyes, "William gives me a look every time I call her Cameron. I think it might have something to do with the fact that we've slept in the same bed for most of this week."

"And making out on said bed."

"They didn't see that." House protested.

"But we all know they guessed it."

House sighed lightly and nodded in acceptance.

"So, what were you thinking?"

"How long it'll be before we can have hot wild sex."

Wilson stared at him distinctly un-amused.

House dropped his gaze to his feet.

"She's my last shot Wilson, I can't mess this up." He said finally meeting Wilson's gaze.

"You won't." Wilson said confidently pulling himself up onto the examination table next to House.

"How can you know that?"

"Because, as we discussed this morning, you're happy, you don't want to run from the thing that scares you; you want to stay and work through it. You're showing passion for something other than your puzzles and that's what makes me think you'll be able to do this."

"What about her?" House said in a slightly frantic tone, "She has no clue what she..."

"She's worked for you for two years. She's saw you high, saw you detox, saw you give yourself a chemically induced migraine, stood by you though insane medical decisions because she believed in you and put up with you pushing her away the whole time. She knows what she's getting into. You just need to get over of your guilt over this shooting. She doesn't blame you at all and you should let it go."

"I just... it's just when my leg..."

"She's not you." he said sincerely before joking, "And you're far less attractive than Stacy."

House smiled ever so slightly and shook his head in almost disbelief.

"I better go; she'll be getting back soon." House said lowering his feet to the floor.

"I'll go with you." Wilson replied doing the same motion with far more grace.

House glared at him slightly.

"She's a friend!" he said defensively. "I just want to make sure she's okay. And to be honest I want to make sure you're okay too."

House nodded once and moved to the door, Wilson following close behind.

And in the hospital lobby beyond the entrance of the clinic chaos and noise awaited them.


	29. Chapter 29

House and Wilson exited the clinic.

Glancing towards the elevators they could see Blythe, William and Martha chatting as they awaited the arrival of the elevator.

The soft bell of its arrival was lost in the in the hustle and bustle of the hospital lobby, but there was no mistaking its single occupant as the doors slid slowly open.

John House was still livid but at the sight of William and his wife talking and smiling a fresh fire of anger sprouted in his body.

House could feel his rage from the reception desk as he picked up his pace drawing closer to the growing rage and tension.

Martha, William and Blythe fell silent as John stepped out among them.

"Blythe." he said in a low growling tone.

The elevator closed behind him, the three who had awaited its arrival no longer wishing to use it until the business with its only occupant was settled.

"John, you have to calm down." she said quietly.

"Do not tell me to calm down!" he hissed.

House moved almost reluctantly forward but his pace was fast,

"Well I'll tell you then." William said stepping towards John slightly. "Calm down."

"You!" He sneered, "You don't even talk to me."

"You're lucky you can still talk after the shit you just pulled upstairs." William threatened his fists clutching at his pants. "You might be able to shoo other problems away with this macho-I-was-in-the-army bull..."

"Marines." John said normally as his face became an example of seething anger.

House resisted the urge to leave as soon as possible as he stood next to his mother and watched the drama enfold between his father and Allison's.

"Even better," William said with a smirk, "I was in the Army and that crap isn't going to work on me."

House could feel Wilson at his side, he could almost feel his sympathy radiating in powerful waves.

"You have no idea..." John started.

"No you have no idea!" William shot back, "What you did was unforgivable."

"What I did was teach my son a lesson." he replied venomously.

"What lesson did you teach him other than it's not right to love?"

House cringed but stayed silent as William continued.

"Why should he follow your rules anymore?"

"Those rules work for me and they work for thousands of others. They even worked for you once."

"Not for the last thirty years." William scoffed.

John House looked angered and horrified.

"You abandoned the service of your country?"

"I served my country by raising my three children, to teach them right from wrong, let them grow up to chose their own path and make their own decisions. I had once been selfish; I never knew how much they meant to me until I nearly lost my life. After that I gave everything for them. Something you obviously couldn't understand."

"Hazards are part of the job description." John House barked.

"They didn't put POW in my brochure." William snarled, "I almost wish you were there with me so you could know how precious family is, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone, even you."

House could feel a ripple through the group as the absorbed the information, his mother and Wilson shivered. A steely look spread across Martha's face and she caught his eyes briefly. He could tell she knew that he knew, she smiled softly and he returned it before both their eyes were drawn back to his father and William.

"My family is important to me." John replied in a bland voice.

"Apparently." William said, that one word dripping with sarcasm, "I can't believe such an amazing man came from you, all I can do is praise Blythe here for the fantastic job she did raising him because it's all to apparent that your hand in raising him wasn't required or wanted. You just wanted the perfect spouse and son to show off at military balls, well guess what they are perfect without you!"

"This is _**my**_ family." John said vehemently.

"Greg is now part of my family too, regardless of his intentions towards my daughter."

"Ah yes your daughter," John said in a haughty tone, "No doubt using any means to further her pathetic career."

John House was expecting an explosion of anger from the man before him, the last thing her expected was for his own son to take him by surprise and pin him to the wall with his forearm pressing against his larynx, anger blazing in his eyes and lifted by that one arm so much that he stood on his toes.

"Put me down." he gasped.

"No." House growled.

Two security guards drew carefully closer, the nurses calling them at the first signs of trouble. Wilson told them to keep back with nothing more than a look.

"Greg, let me go." John ordered breathlessly.

"What are you going to do about it?"

John House kicked and punched out, his fists hitting everything including his broken hand, his foot finding several targets but his knee hit House directly in the centre of his right thigh.

House faltered for a moment as he switched all their weight to his left leg.

John squirmed in his grasp, but House pressed him harder to the wall, his eyes blazing hotter than ever before contrasting with their cool blue color.

John House gulped.

"That's enough." House growled, "That's enough. You have no clue what she or I have been through this week! You haven't even taken the time to ask so don't you dare suggest her reason's for wanting to be with me are anything but pure, I'm just glad she even wants to talk to me after the shit I've put her through. As for you I've had enough, had enough of your words and had enough of your fists. I don't need you. I don't want to ever, ever see you again."

House turned and threw him from the wall before leaning subtly against it himself.

"Leave." House commanded darkly.

"Blythe." John said turning expectantly to his wife.

"I have to stay with Greg; I can't leave him now." Blythe said almost pleadingly.

John glowered and turned on his heal heading towards the door.

"James, could you follow him out to the car and get my bag please." Blythe ask Wilson as kindly as possible with a glance in the direction of the awaiting security guards.

Wilson glanced at House.

House nodded, the pain growing in his thigh and hand as adrenaline and rage poured from him.

"Sure."

He left them drawing the two security guards to his side and following John into the car park.

"You can stay at my apartment if you want mom, I'm not really using it just now."

His vision began to blur slightly.

His hearing becoming muffled as if he were underwater.

"Okay." Blythe said with a soft, reserved smile.

A ringing sounded in his mind.

His vision blurred further.

"That's a good idea," William started, "Allie isn't really using..."

At which point House lost consciousness and fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, his head smacking heavily against the solid floor.

* * *

House woke slowly, a groan on his lips at the brightness of the light but happily, he thought there was little pain just discomfort.

Ah the blissful haze of morphine he thought to himself.

"Greg."

His eyes weren't fully open but he recognised the voice.

"Hey, William."

"Your mom's with Martha and Allie, she seems pretty happy to have some female company and girly chat." he said rocking on his heals slightly, "So I thought I'd better leave them to it."

"What happened?"

"You passed out, too much pain and too much stress." William said softly, his voice full of compassion distinctly lacking in judgement and pity.

"Where am I?" House said squinting up at William.

"Sorry there isn't enough wrong with your head to get you in neurology." he joked, "You're somewhere in the Witherspoon wing."

House nodded, not pain but definitely discomfort.

"Foreman did mention you might have a mild concussion after the way you hit your head against the ground. Bounced a couple of times from what I saw. You're going to be pretty sore for a while."

House groaned, trying not to imagine such an impact after his world went black.

"When can I see...?"

"When Foreman gives the okay."

"Then where is he?" House very nearly demanded pulling himself up slowly to a sitting position.

"I waved to the nurses to page him when you woke up, he should be here soon."

William looked around the room almost nervously before meeting House's gaze; House so an emotion in his eyes he'd rarely ever seen in his life.

"You showed a lot of courage back there."

Pride.

House nodded once.

"Have you ever noticed how easy it is for you to save other people but how hard it is for you to save yourself?"

House stared at him with wide eyes.

"I only say that because the same is true for Allie, I noticed it when she was 14 and called an ambulance for her friend whose head was gushing while her own ribs were cracked and broken and blood poured from her knees and elbows. Everyone else was always first, though you hide your true motives well. I'm glad you found each other, I'm glad you'll be first in each others lives and finally have someone to take care of you."

Foreman hurries in clearly some what stretched between his two patients and colleagues.

"What did the scans say?" House asked instantly, moving so that his legs hung over the side of the bed.

"We didn't give you any scans." Foreman said with a frown.

House rolled his eyes.

"Cameron."

"Ah, I'm not supposed to tell you," he said slightly nervously as he checked the responsiveness of House's pupils and moves on to taking other observations.

"I'm fine just a headache," House grumbled pushing Foreman's hands away. "Give me the all clear and I can go find out what you're not telling me."

"House, you're on a low dose of morphine," he said indicating to the IV drip at his side, "If you have a headache, however slight, through that then I'd definitely say you have, at least, a grade 2 concussion."

"Give me my Vicodin and let me go." House ordered.

"House..." Foreman sighed.

"Foreman, please," House said in a softer and almost vulnerable tone, "I'll be with a doctor at all times and nurses will be checking on us both all the time. I need to know what's on those scans."

"Fine, but I'm getting you some Ibuprofen to help with swelling."

"Great." House said almost hopping from the bed.

His legs very nearly collapsed beneath him, luckily William was on guard; almost expecting such a reaction. He quickly caught House and set him on his feet once more and handed him his cane.

Foreman shook his head slightly at him and left to get the correct dose of pain killers.

"Do you know what the scans showed?" House asked William.

"Not enough to satisfy your curiosity." He replied good-naturedly.

House nodded, he closed his eyes and groaned as the movement made his head thump harder.

William drew closer resting his hand on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Hmm, yeah." he answered with his eyes still closed.

"Are you sure, I don't mind you passing out again just do it where I can catch you."

"I'll be fine."

House answered opening his eyes and removing the IV.

"That means you're not fine now." said in a calculating tone.

"I just need to see her." he said conveying that if Foreman knew he wouldn't be able to see Cameron until he'd been through more tests for the same diagnosis. "I need to know she's going to be okay."

William cast a critical eye over him.

"Fine," William said giving in, "But I'm keeping an eye on you and you have to tell Allison."

"I will." House agreed to his conditions.

"Tell her everything." William said with a piercing look.

"Okay," House said as Foreman appeared two phials in his hands - one grey, one orange - and a candy bar.

He laid all three on the bed at House's side.

"Your Vicodin and Ibuprofen; one or two every six hours with food."

House grabbed the candy bar, "Yeah, yeah I know I'm a doctor too. Can I go now?"

Foreman poured water into a glass, "As soon as you take your pills."

House took a single bite of the candy and as he chewed he tipped two of each type of pill on to the mattress.

He lifted all four to how mouth and swallowed them with a gulp of water.

"Can I go now boss?" House asked impatiently.

"Yes, just take it slow and I'll be checking on you later." Foreman said as he exited the room shaking his head lightly.

"Professional, isn't he." William said more as a statement than a question but House answered anyway.

"Yeah." House grunted picking up his cane and moving towards the door glad that William was at his side all the while hoping Cameron's scans were clear.


	30. Chapter 30

House and William made their way slowly and silently to Cameron's room.

House could feel the heat of a thousand stares following him where ever he went, the bored through his skull and made his brain feel like it was boiling.

He wanted escape with scotch, his couch and a truck-load of Vicodin.

But he needed her.

He needed to know she was okay. He needed to slip into her warm embrace. He needed to feel her soft kisses.

He needed her love.

Arriving at her room House felt as though he's stepped into a parallel world; his mother, Cameron and her mother were sitting and practically giggling like school girls.

He was glad for however temporary, and by whatever means necessary, Cameron had a reason to be happy.

In spite of the days events he couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"Hi." he said over the din of reseeding giggles.

Cameron's eyes fell on him, the look in those eyes wrapping around him like a soothing balm relieving the burn of other people's harsh gazes and warming his cooled heart.

"Hey." she said with a wide smile.

He wanted to run across the room and kiss her senseless, apparently his gaze said as much as she blushed furiously under his stare and William coughed slightly with a smirk around his mouth and laughter dancing in his eyes.

"Are those your scans?" he asked pointing to the light box on the left side of her bed.

"Yeah."

He moved slowly, it seemed to be his only speed setting at the moment and stopped before the glowing film, resting his cane against the cabinet.

He scanned them meticulously.

Cameron's left hand reached out and slid into his.

He squeezed gently, glad of the warm contact, as his eyes continued to move across the scans.

After a few moments he drew back from the light box, his eyes still flickering over the film.

"You're okay." he said quietly.

"Told you so." she said in a soft tender voice.

He turned to her and saw a few silent happy tears trailing down her cheeks.

He let go of her hand and lifted his to press his palm to her moist cheek, wiping away those salty droplets.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Allison," House heard his mother's voice sound.

"You too Blythe." she answered kindly, House's hand falling to hers once more.

"Greg I'm going to have James drive me to your apartment so I can set up camp there. Make sure you give me a call later."

"I will mom. Do you know where everything is?"

"No, that's why James is taking me." She answered with a wit as sharp as his own.

House smiled wryly.

"Were just going to head down the cafeteria." William supplied edging towards the door Martha going ahead if him.

Both House and Cameron knew it was just and excuse giving them the space and privacy they craved.

"Do you guys want anything?" He said politely.

"No."

"No, thanks."

William nodded, with a small smirk lingering at the corners of his mouth.

House and Cameron were unsurprised they heard the blinds shrieking and shuddered closed as William left the room.

He sat down on the bed at her him, staring at their joined hands now resting on her thigh.

"I'm going to be okay." Cameron said reassuringly squeezing his hand.

House let go of her hand, cupped her cheek and pressed his lips almost desperately to hers.

She squeaked a little surprised at his sudden advance before relaxing into his rough hard kiss.

His lips moved hard and fast over hers, his tongue exploring her mouth with a fierce passion.

It was the kind of kiss that made you feel alive, made you feel glad to be alive.

He felt her pushing back against him, her tongue mixing with his and her hand slipped under his shirt.

He groaned and moved his hand to her hip encouraging her to lie flat on the bed.

She wriggled and squirmed until she lay beneath him, still kissing him furiously.

Curled over her so their lips would never separate, he pressed his right forearm and his left hand to the bed. He toed off his shoes and pulled himself over her body and his legs across hers. He lay over her unhurt left side, most of his weight on the bed despite his body sprawled on top of hers.

Her left arm was tight around his torso, pressing at the centre of his back holding her hard against him. I took all her will power to leave her right arm limp by her side. She wanted to hold him with all her strength and never let go.

She moaned loudly into his mouth when his hips ground hard against hers.

He groaned back with equal vigour and volume as her nails dug into his back and her hips rolled to his.

She bent her right leg curling over his left as it fell between her thighs.

He slid his left hand beneath the sheets moving and searching until the skin of her thigh was in his palm.

Their chests still heaved heavily against each other, unwilling to separate to take a full breath, too lost in the taste and warmth of each other.

His fingers teased her thigh and brushed behind her knees.

She gasped and her body bent beneath him.

Their lips separated and they sucked air hungrily into their lungs, feeling relieved and at a loss at the same time.

House rested his forehead against hers as their breathing slowed and evened.

He moved his hand gently up her thigh, over her shorts and rested on her naked hip rubbing the warm skin lightly.

Her hand caressed his spine with her delicate fingers.

Both of them shivered.

"Greg," she whispered.

He opened his eyes to find hers staring up at him with a warm understanding and a burning lust lurking within them.

"Yeah?"

She smiled widely.

"It's good to see you too."

He chuckled slightly, "Don't expect this every time I come into a room and your in it."

"Only if there's a bed in the room."

House groaned and pressed a swift soft kiss to her lips. "Don't tempt me."

"Why not if it means you'll do that again."

"Do you want me to do that again?"

She answered by digging her nails into his back and lifting her lips to his.

House smiled against her lips before kissing her as he had done, only this time taking his time and exploring her mouth more thoroughly as his hand smoothed across her hip, back and abdomen, his hips rocking gently to hers.

She moaned and wriggled beneath him giving into his ministrations, her hips matching his rhythm and her lips moving against.

It was slow and delicate compared with their previous kiss but it made them just as breathless and made their blood run just as fast.

But as the heat in their bodies grew and the pace of their breathing and heart rates picked up their kiss became fierce and passionate once more.

House groaned loudly knowing he couldn't go much more of this without losing himself in her completely.

"Allie," he gasped pulling back from her, his hips grinding to hers one last time as he pressed his face to her neck. "Do you know what you do to me?"

"Probably the same thing you do to me." she whispered in a husky tone kissing his ear, her hand moving soothingly up and down his back. "So those doubts you had this morning?" she said in an amused almost teasing voice.

"What doubts?" he said mirroring her tone.

"Good answer." she muttered, "Are you sure?"

He drew back and stared down into her eyes, "Yes."

And he kissed her softly.

"Now if you don't mind, could you scoot over a bit because my arm is starting to ache."

House somehow managed to get onto his back without hurting himself too bad, removing his pills from his sports jacket and placing them on the cabinet next to hers, his jacket now lying somewhere near his shoes. Cameron curled against his side her head resting on her shoulders, her leg over his and their hands joined over his heart once more.

"So what happened?" Cameron asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I know you like me and everything but something had to have happened to make you kiss me like that."

"I was glad your scans were clear." House answered.

"Greg." she said tiresomely, his given name slowly becoming a regular utterance from her lips.

House sighed softly and let his fingers dance across her hand as he told his tale of what had transpired since he had last seen her.

"Are you okay?" she asked concerned about him after all he'd been through.

"I still have a headache." he murmured.

"Right that is pretty bad given the meds you've taken," she said sitting up slightly and looking into his eyes, "But it's not what I meant."

"But that's all I feel about it, I'm fine." he said sincerely.

She wriggled her fingers against his and leaning forward he kissed him softly.

"So how is your head?"

"Sore," he said with a slight chuckle, "I'm not sure how hard I hit it because I was unconscious at the time but your dad said that I bounced."

"Oh Greg." she sighed clearly worried about him, he could see her checking how even his pupils were.

"I'm fi..."

She stared him down with far more intensity than he'd ever seen before.

"Okay, so I'm not fine but I'm not bad and I'll let you know if I get any worse, I just need to rest." he said with an exhausted sigh, moving his thumb against hers.

"Anything, any changes at all and you tell me." she ordered, in a professional tone.

"Yes, I promise." he said softly.

She kissed him once more and lowered her head back down to his shoulder.

"I don't want to lose you," she mumbled into his chest.

House paused for a moment wondering if she didn't want to lose him in the sense of their new found closeness or in the sense of dead and completely gone.

He realised he didn't care which one it was because he felt the same about her in both cases.

"I'm not going anywhere." he said brushing her lips across the top of her head. "I don't want to lose you either."

He could feel her smile against his chest.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

House's chest swelled and felt like it was about to burst even though he'd taken a normal breath.

He quickly fell asleep with a soft smile on his face.


	31. Chapter 31

Cameron listened closely to his heart rate as he slept; it was constant and strong beneath her ear. She found it comforting just listening to that determined lub-dub in his chest.

The rhythm was perfect.

Like a concerto.

His heart the low driving drum, his lungs the singing oboe and the thrum of his blood the calming sound of a dozen violas.

She found her own breathing and heart beat adapting to the rhythm complementing it in her own simple way.

It was oh so sweet and comforting and the most wonderful sound she'd ever heard.

She wondered if his heart would ever beat for her, if there would come a day when she could call it her own.

Her own heart was his and had been for a long time, it thudded in perfect sync because it was his.

All of a sudden the song changed, it got faster, it began racing, it had the rhythm of a galloping horse on an open straight and it was still picking up pace.

His breathing increased to feed his fast heart.

"No." he muttered shaking slightly beneath her.

She could remember times over the past few nights were in a place between reality and dreams his voice would comfort her and his hands would soothe her.

She wondered if it would work for him too.

Would that mean she had the same calming effect on him that he had on her?

She could only try; his shivering and his tone very nearly broke her fast beating heart.

She moved carefully lifting her head and gingerly reaching up to cup his cheek ignoring the stab of pain in her shoulder.

"Greg." she whispered softly.

"No," he groaned, "No, it's cold out there."

He shivered beneath her.

She rolled slightly so more of her body was pressed to him, her hand rubbing gently across his cheek.

"I'm here Greg I'll keep you warm." she whispered brushing her lips against his neck.

"Hurts." he said so quietly she almost didn't hear it.

"I'll make it better." she cooed

"No, Dad. No. Please." he whispered even quieter still.

"Greg you're safe, I won't let him hurt you anymore. I promise. I'm not going to lose you. Stay, stay with me I'm here for you."

He took a deep breath lifting his chest and her body before breathing it out slowly.

His breaths slowed, but not enough to drift through slumber.

"Allie?" he said half awake.

"Shh Greg, its okay. I'm here. Sleep."

His eyelids flickered slightly as he turned his head towards her, almost blindly his lips found hers and brushed them softly.

They separated her head resting on his shoulder and his head bowed to hers.

Their hands met over his heart once more.

"Love you." he mumbled as sleep carried him away from her.

She he wouldn't remember it in the morning but that didn't matter, he'd said it and he meant it, and it was more than she needed.

"I love you too." she whispered back the land of sweet dreams calling her too.

She met him in her dreams.

He did too.

* * *

William entered his daughter's room carefully and slowly. He almost expected to see pieces of clothing littering the floor but he was almost glad there wasn't as he'd only managed to get back a few minutes before the nurse was due to take observations, on both of them no doubt. 

He watched over the sleeping couple.

He had meant it when he was glad they had found each other and now had someone to take care of them. He had spent too long watching her struggle. Of course she still survived, still kept going but it was merely existence not life.

And from what he knew of Greg he could easily say his life was merely an existence too.

He knew they would be good for each other they would compliment and complete the other and he hoped they would realise that soon enough.

He moved to the bedside, closer to House but so that his daughter was facing him.

Reaching over he cupped her cheek.

"Allie." he murmured.

She took a breath and groaned slightly.

House echoed it softly but remained sleeping.

"Come on sweetie you have to wake up," He drew his hand beck from her now that he could see her eyes flickering, "The nurse is going to be here in a few minutes to check you two out and I thought we could spare her the pleasure of you re-enacting Sleeping Beauty in reverse."

"Dad!" she whispered exasperated.

"What?" he said in an innocent voice but his smile said otherwise.

She sighed softly.

"Let him sleep Dad," She begged now fully awake, her eyes filled with compassion and worry focused on House's sleeping features, her hand squeezing lightly around his fingers, "He had a nightmare before."

William gave her a concerned look.

Cameron saw it from the corner of her eye but she couldn't bear to look away from House.

"I checked his pupils before he fell asleep, I talked to him and he was lucid and eloquent as ever." she said with a slight smirk, she turned to her father, "I'm with him all the time in case anything happens."

"It's enough for me but I don't think it would be enough for Foreman." William said with a soft sigh.

"Foreman can shove House's cane up his ass," Cameron said with a passionate anger, then her voice softened, "He needs to rest."

"Not if Foreman's getting love from my cane, now that I'd want to see." House murmured quietly, "And take pictures of. And hand them around the hospital whilst laughing my head off."

"House, I..." Cameron started as his eyes flickered open.

William coughed in a tone House was all too familiar with.

"Greg," She glanced at her father before returning her gaze to meet House's sleepy blue eyes, "I thought you were asleep." she said slightly nervously, worried about what he might say about her telling her father about his nightmare.

"What can I say? Dad's voice woke me up, it didn't exactly fit into my dream." he said with a suggestive lilt in his voice.

"Hey, enough of that," William admonished in a parental tone, but his eyes still glinted with happiness, "I told you to wait until you got home."

"But Dad!" House whined with pleading eyes, "You were the one that shut the blinds."

"You did," Cameron agreed with a grin.

"I might as well be dealing with teenagers." William sighed to himself, his own mouth hinting a smile.

House smirked, "You don't know how true that is."

"Greg, I like you but don't push it." William threatened half seriously.

"Okay Dad." he said as a groan.

William rolled his eyes, "Well, you two are awake so I've done my job, the nurse will be in here soon I imagine."

"Oh what fun," House said sarcastically, the tone of his voice dropped once more, "Can't Allison check me over instead?"

"Greg!" Cameron admonished this time, slapping him slightly in the chest then wincing herself at the pain in her shoulder.

"Don't do that." House said softly, his eyes caring and soft as he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "I don't want to cause you anymore pain."

"As long as I have you it doesn't matter, you just being here makes it better." she whispered nuzzling his neck.

"You haven't had me yet." House answered saucily low voice.

"Hello?!" said William in an exasperated tone, "Father still in the room."

"What?" House said innocently, "I thought you'd be pleased."

"Greg." Cameron groaned begging him to stop. She did not want him talking to her Dad about their sex life either the current lack of it or the immanent arrival of it the instant they got home and got better.

"We're all adults here." House argued.

"So?" Cameron answered unconvinced, "When was the last time you talked to your parents about sex?"

House gulped.

"Good point." He muttered.

"Guys, it's fine." William sighed. "Like I said just hold off until you aren't going to be able to break each other, let your wounds heal." He leaned against the bottom of the bed and gave them each a poignant look, "Old and new."

House nodded slightly before brushing his lips against Cameron's hair once more, he closed his eyes briefly savouring her warmth and scent.

Her eyes met her father's; she smiled softly and thanked him without words.

William smiled back.

A nurse entered a second later shattering the silence of the room but not the blissfully happy calm of its occupants.


	32. Chapter 32

House kept a sharp eye on the nurse as she went about regular checks.

He didn't like the look of the flush in her cheeks from the moment she stepped into the room - nor the way her eyes shifted between him and Cameron so often it was if she was watching a tennis match.

House could only guess at the rumours circulating the hospital about them, he almost felt sorry for her knowing she was going to be attacked the moment she stepped into the staff room and given the third degree.

He **_almost_** felt sorry for her, but he didn't knowing that she would fully divulge every piece of information she had on the latest scandal since Cameron slept with Chase.

He shivered.

"Greg?" Cameron whispered from her bed in a concerned tone.

Sitting in the chair at her side he bit back a groan.

A groan for the fact she'd said his name in the presence of the nurse.

A groan for the way his name sounded on those lips of hers.

"I'm fine." He said rather curtly, though he made sure his eyes were soft when they met hers briefly.

Then they darted back to the nurse.

There was no doubt in his mind that she saw the softness he was capable of, the blush in her cheeks said as much as her eyes quickly moved to the monitors and then shuffled from the room just as fast after making a quick note on Cameron's chart.

House sighed loudly.

"You know the whole hospital is going to be talking about us." he groaned lightly rubbing his chin on the handle of his cane.

"So there's an "us"?" Cameron asked slyly, with a small smile.

House looked deep into her expectant eyes, feeling William's gaze on him too.

He nodded gently.

She smiled back.

He stood and leaned forward to brush his hand over her hair and kiss her forehead.

"Yes," he whispered, then louder, "Now, excuse me I need to go and phone my mom to make sure that she isn't high, drunk, watching my porn or all three."

His eyes were wild and a wide grin sat on his lips as he left the room.

"Later dad!" he called.

William stared after him almost in shock.

Cameron smiled gently and shook her head.

"Him? He's the one you want?" William said with a sigh and turning to his daughter.

"I wouldn't have anyone else."

"Are you sure?" he said almost reluctant to hear the answer.

"Yeah," she said with a content sigh, "He's not perfect but I want him to be mine."

"He's already yours, sweetheart." William murmured, "I know a man in love when I see one."

Cameron smiled remembering his words between dreams earlier that day.

"I know," she said quietly.

William smiled back.

"What did he say?"

"He said he loved me, he was still half asleep and falling back into dreams but he said it and he meant it. If he never said it again I wouldn't care, I know he feels it and that's more than enough." she said with a soft happy sigh.

"Something tells me he'll say it again." he said with a knowing smile.

"I think so too." she whispered mostly to herself.

* * *

House made his way quickly to his office, he could tell by the dense and pensive silence that followed him that the gossip had spread and spread fast. 

House was showing emotion to another human being, Allison Cameron no less.

He sighed and retreated to his office wondering if it would be terribly wrong of him to get Wilson to escort him back to Cameron's room so it wouldn't be in silence.

Shaking the idea from his head he slumped into his desk chair and dialled his own home.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey mom."

_"Greg."_ she said happily in greeting.

"Yeah, how are you settling in?" he asked as he propped his feet up on his desk.

_"James got me in okay, we had to stop as the grocery store... how have you been feeding yourself?!"_

"Take-away's, you sure you're okay after what...?"

_"Gregory,"_ she said in the tone that always made him stop.

"Yeah?" he sighed.

_"I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about."_

"I'm fine, really, what I did..." he started nervously.

_"It was bound to happen, Greg. I'm proud of you. Now... about this young Allison."_

He could hear the grin in her voice.

"Aw mom!"

_"Greg, tell me about her."_

"What do you want to know?" he said tiresomely, "What can you hear from me that you haven't already asked her mom and dad."

_"What does she mean to you, Greg? Really."_

"I... I don't know yet... all I know is that I don't want to lose her."

_"You're not telling me the whole truth but I'll let it go for now."_ she sighed, then a quiet and anxious voice she asked _"What happened? What happened in that room when he came in?"_

"I don't really want to talk about it." He said darkly, guilt settling firmly in his being once more as he remembered those horrible few minutes in vivid detail.

_"Why do you think it's your fault? William said that..."_

"Because it is my fault! I was the one to get her shot, I'm reason she's in pain!"

_"Greg, no one is blaming you but yourself, you need to let it go."_

"Why does everyone say that?" he said with a sigh.

_"Because it's true. I'm sure she'll say it's not your fault enough for you to exist with it but you can't live with that guilt; you and only you can let it go."_ She said empathically down the phone wishing she could hug him.

"I don't... I..."

_"Just listen to her; I think she has a good head on her shoulders. I think she can help you as much as you can help her."_

"I think you might be right." House said with a soft sigh.

_"I'm your mother, of course I'm right."_ she said with a soft laugh that reminded him of what it felt like to be home.

He chuckled slightly too.

_"Now go back to Allison and get some sleep, get the hug I wish I could give both of you. And don't rush home stay there as long as you need to. Don't worry about me I'll be fine here and I'll be in to visit tomorrow."_

He could hear that soft smile in her voice once more.

He longed to do exactly as she ordered.

And more.

"Thanks mom."

_"Love you."_

"Yeah, mom, you too."

And with that he hung up, the idea of sneaking back into Cameron's arms was far too good to ignore.

Going back with the promise of her warmth, her touch and her kiss he didn't care about the stares or the silence.

But his mother's words still sang quietly in the back of his mind.

Could he really let it go?

* * *

"Where did dad go?" House asked stepping into the room glad the parent was gone. 

"He and my mom went to check on my apartment." she said quietly as she watched him close the door and the blinds behind him.

"Good."

"Should I expect the same sort of greeting as last time?" She asked with a smirk as he prowled towards her.

"Possibly," he said with a small grin, but he grew more serious as he drew closer, "But your dad was right, I don't want to break you."

She shifted on the bed making space for him.

"You're not going to break me."

"How do you...?"

"Greg, stop treating me like I'm made of glass. Physically I'm hurting but I'm okay. As for emotionally I've had my share of relationships bad and good and I'm still here and... and I want you."

Dropping his head he smiled to himself before toeing off his shoes and tossing his jacket over the chair.

He groaned slightly getting into the bed, his bones creaking slightly and his muscles aching.

He lay on his side and pulled her body to his.

"Are you sure you want this old thing?"

She rolled him onto his back, leaning over him with her leg over his waist.

Their eyes were locked together as she pressed forward and brushed her lips against his, first soft and then quickly more passionate and deep than either truly expected.

Her lips parted and her tongue teased his until they open under her ministrations. Their tongues duelled furiously, her leg flexing to pull more of her body on top of him and her left arm moving so that it still supported her weight but those sweet delicate fingers of hers could smooth across his face and ran through his hair.

He rested his right hand gently on the small of her back. His left hand cupping her cheek and teasing the skin of her neck.

His whole body felt as though it was vibrating.

She was just so overwhelming; her emotions, her taste, her body.

And he was overwhelmed in her embrace; his emotions, his body, his mind all shivering because of her.

It felt good.

He was sure that he had his answer but he wanted to hear it again, he needed to hear it again.

"Allie." He mumbled through their kiss.

"Greg, I want you." She said empathically, her eyes so filled with emotion she was close to tears, "I've wanted you for so long."

He smiled softly leaning forward and kissing her neck.

Somehow they found themselves in a similar position to that afternoon.

She was beneath him, her thighs accommodating his hips to hers, their chests pressed gently together and he kept as much body weight as possible on his forearms on either side of her head.

He kissed her with varying degrees of lust and compassion, all responded with the same emotions and soothing teasing touches.

He brushed his cheek with hers as his lips moved to her ear, "I want you too." he whispered.

She sighed happily, followed by the softest sweetest moan as he moved down her body and showered kisses on her neck.

There was a flash of light.

"OH MY GOD!"

Wilson had walked into the room only to walk straight back out again with "Why do I always have to be the one to walk in when they're doing that!" on his lips.

House and Cameron laughed, the movement causing more pleasure than pain.

" Wilson." House called as he moved from on top of her body to lie at her side sitting up slightly so that when she curled towards him her head rested on his heart.

He stuck his head inside the room with his eyes screwed shut.

"Is it over?" he asked quietly.

"Never even began." Cameron answered with a fake pout.

Wilson tentatively opened his eyes.

"It'll begin soon enough." House murmured kissing her forehead, tightening his hold around her for a moment.

"I really, really don't need to know that sort of stuff." Wilson groaned moving slowly into the room.

"Well knock next time." House said condescendingly, his left hand finding her right.

"You shouldn't be..."

"We aren't." House answered smartly, "We're not stupid. We're not really going to do anything when you're going to walk in every time something almost starts."

"Ooo the tension and frustration." Wilson joked with a smirk.

"The tension and frustration just might break your neck in a minute." Cameron said annoyed, surprising both House and Wilson.

Wilson mumbled something that sounded like an apology but she didn't hear it she was too interested in the words of House's whisper in her ear.

"I'd rather work on breaking a bed when it comes to working out this tension and frustration between us."

* * *

A/N: Do you want to meet Cameron's brothers in the next chapter? 


	33. Chapter 33

House was first to wake the next morning.

He breathed softly and slowly just watching her, absorbing her quiet beauty while she slept.

He kissed her softly to wake her, his body requiring more than her beauty to stave off the pain of his thigh and his still thudding head.

She hummed softly and stretched against his body, slowly returning his kiss.

He smiled against her lips when she moaned into his mouth.

"That has to be the best way to wake up ever." She whispered her eyes meeting his for the first time that morning. "I wish..."

"You wish what?" he prompted softly.

"I wish I could wake up to it everyday, I wish I could wake up to you everyday." she said quietly, almost embarrassed.

"In which case you'd arrive at work at the same time I do and I know you wouldn't want to do that." He said jokingly, "But, so help me, if you don't let me sleep in I'll punish you."

There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that told her his threats where wholehearted and would be followed through.

Cameron grinned as he practically said it would be okay for them to move in together, possibly sooner rather than later.

"Okay I'll let you have your sleep, either that or I'll reward you for your early rising." she said with a smirk.

"Early rising you say? Now that certainly sounds interesting." He tightened his hold around her waist and moved his hips against hers, her leg squeezing around him and aiding his movements.

House groaned softly.

"We need to get out of here soon." he whispered his voice laced with need and arousal.

After 2 years of sexual innuendo and flirtation these last days of searing kisses and gently rocking bodies was pure torture.

"We need to see what the doctors say." She answered calmly with a soft smile, finding it amusing the he was the one now chasing her.

Not that much chasing was required.

"We are doctors and I say we go home now." House grunted.

"Impatient aren't you?" she said with a smirk.

"When I decide I want something I want it there and then. I want you." He said his icy eyes filled with an amorous fire locked with hers, "I've wanted you for longer than I'll admit and I think I've waited long enough."

She kissed him passionately, doing nothing to quell the want and the need they had for each other.

"I want you too. So much... ah!" she yelped in pain as she tried to use her right arm to pull her harder against him. "Crap!"

He watched as her eyes closed in pain.

He kissed her softly.

"I guess there's a reason why we haven't left yet." he said gently rolling onto his back and reaching for their pills.

"Yeah, no kidding." She groaned through the pain.

Drugs beginning to flow through their systems he rolled on to his side once more and wrapped his arms around her kissing her softly and soothingly.

"I can't believe we have to wait." she sighed.

"Just a few more days." He laughed lightly, "You know, I never imagined it would be like this."

"Like what?"

"That we'd have to wait and that we'd both be cripples when we got round it. I always imagined that we'd have some stupid argument and it would all blow up and we'd have some unbelievably fantastic make-up sex." He grinned down at her, "So how did you picture it? Because I know you did, I could feel you staring at my ass every chance you got."

"You need to start wearing tighter jeans; you do have an exceptionally gorgeous ass."

"You haven't seen my ass."

"Neither have you seen my ass."

"Touché. So... how did you imagine it?" House asked curiously, "And if you say anything about Marvin Gaye and candles then I seriously have to think twice about this whole "us" thing."

"I knew that wouldn't happen after our date." she said matter of factly, "Not that I ever thought about it before; I knew it just wouldn't fit."

"It might take a little work and a bit of a stretch but I promise you it will fit." He whispered in a low rumbling tone against her ear.

"Cocksure are we?" she said in a mocking voice as her body shivered at his words.

"Yes we are." He said kissing her hair, "So, before the date from hell…?"

"Before then I imagined us high jacking Gravedigger and going for a really good ride."

"Interesting," he said with a wide grin adapting that particular fantasy and making it one of his own, "It's certainly wilder than I would have imagined from you."

"Well, it was the only thing I really knew you liked at the time, plus it was fun." She answered.

"Yeah we had a good time that night." House said almost in a daze as he thought back to that night, almost able to imagine the taste of her lips on the cotton candy he stole.

"That night yes." She said in a shrewd calculating tone.

"Can we forget about **that** for now and get back to your fantasies?" he whined.

"There are a lot of them." She answered slightly haughtily.

"Do tell." He said in that tone that would make her do anything, though he didn't know it yet.

"Every flat surface in your office and the conference room. Your couch, your piano, the island I saw in you kitchen and your bed even though I've never been in your bedroom, walls, showers, baths."

"It's a little one sided don't you think? All of that mostly in my apartment and my office."

"I thought it was sexier, I infiltrate your territory while you infiltrate mine." She said in a saucy tone.

He groaned loudly, closing his eyes finding it all too easy to imagine pressing into her lithe warm body.

"You have a very active imagination." He whispered his eye still closed.

"And you seem to appreciate it." She said, her hand brushing a sizeable bulge in his jeans.

"Well yeah, but you didn't explain why all the unbelievably amazing sex happened in the first place."

"I jumped you. I won a bet. I showed up at your place on "hooker night". We had an argument. Or that night of the oncology benefit it was your hands all over me instead of your eyes."

By the sound of her voice he could tell she'd enjoyed the last one especially.

"Hmm, did you like me all dressed up in my tux?"

"Well, the pants were tighter than your jeans anyway you seemed to be enjoying the view that night too." She said mischievously.

"Oh yeah, you should wear red more often." He said nuzzling her ear, "You've thought about this a lot haven't you? About… about "us"."

"And you haven't?"

"Well, yeah. Yeah, I suppose I have." He said hugging her closer to his body, her warmth too delicious to ignore.

"Allie, I er…" House started somewhat nervously.

_Come on, now would be a great time to tell her,_ a voice in his mind sounded.

"Greg?" she said in as normal a voice as she could muster, which was a mix of expectant hopefulness at best.

"I…ah…I lu…"

The door of the room opens.

"Hey Al..." a stranger said emerging into the room, before stopping and staring at the pair in the bed with a slight frown on his face.

House and Cameron glared back.

He takes a few steps forward brandishing a bouquet of flowers like a sword.

"Who the hell is he?" The man said in annoyed voice.

The flowers drew ever closer.

A wave of pollen made its way across the room; it was chemical warfare.

House took a deep breath and sneezed violently, his whole body convulsing forward.

He pressed his left hand to his head and groaned loudly and painfully, gasping in breath to try and relieve the pain. The violent movement was not something he needed whilst suffering from a concussion, his already bruised brain being knocked about within his head causing immense amounts of pain.

"Point those somewhere else, Rick." He heard Cameron's exasperated voice sound seeming muffled and far away.

Her gentle hands took his head from his and guided it to her shoulder, he lay on his side, his arms around her and her hands moving softly through his hair as she said quiet things he couldn't quite hear but it felt like a soothing lullaby but he rested, slowing his breathing and appearing asleep to the intruder.

House knew that Cameron knew he was awake.

"So, who's the old guy?" The mysterious Rick asked in a low tone that was no less annoyed than before.

House stopped himself from grinning as he felt the muscles in her neck flex as a frown crossed her face.

"He's not old and he's my Boss if you must know." She answered almost icily.

"Your boss?" he said incredulously, the tell tale sound of those dreaded flowers moving through the air reached his ears too.

"Sorry I didn't know the hospital was that broke they have to use members of staff as blankets." He continued in a half sarcastic, half irate whisper.

"Rick, stop please." She sighed tiresomely.

"Sorry." He said far more sincere and drawing closer after laying the bouquet of flowers on the dresser at the far end of the room. "It's just a bit of a shock to see my baby sister lying in a hospital with some guy who's older than Jer and is her boss to boot. Is this the guy…?"

"Yeah." Cameron interrupted, unable to hide the slightly worried tone in her voice.

What House wouldn't give for him to have finished that last sentence.

"So, you two are like… what?" Rick asked almost sceptically.

"I… er… I don't know." She answered slightly confused unknowingly pulling his body ever so slightly closer to her.

"Does he love you?" the Cameron brother asked now entirely serious, as if their was nothing more important.

Which was true.

Both of them tensed slightly.

House could feel it.

Cameron could feel it.

"I… umm… well I umm…" she stammered.

House sighed internally her struggle calling to him; he relaxed against her, seemingly shuffling to get more comfortable in his sleep as his thumb brushed softly against her waist through the material of her gown.

He could feel her looking down on him, her hand still moving gently through his hair.

House could feel the corners of his mouth were turned upwards slightly but he couldn't help it.

"I think… I think he might. If not we're certainly working on it."

He could hear the grin in her voice, it was the grin that he wanted to smile too but this soft secret smirk was all he would allow himself in this state of almost asleep.

He could not think of a more perfect answer for how he felt and he didn't even have to say it himself and with his weight gone from his shoulders there was nothing much to keep him from flying off to the world of dreams as the conversation between the two Cameron's moved into the mindless chit-chat that was associated with the reunion of family and Cameron's hand and the sound of her breathing lulled him into the sleep he had needed ever since his head shook so violently.

He never really saw the point of buying a sick person flowers anyway.


	34. Chapter 34

House woke slowly to the sounds of soft murmurs but his body was far more interested by the fact it was currently wrapped around the warm body of a beautiful woman called Allison Cameron, her hands still running gently through his hair.

What was once a soothing motion was now teasing and arousing.

Eyes still closed he shifted his leg higher across her hips and pressing his lips gently to her neck.

"So not the time Greg." Allison whispered in is ear, her fingers still moving through his hair.

He shifted closer, if that was possible.

"Any time is good." He mumbled against her skin.

The murmurs quietened.

"Greg, stop." she hissed, her hand ceasing its movements.

"Why?" he said scrapping his teeth against her skin.

There was silence but for their voices, the murmurs were gone.

"Because my sister in law, my brothers, my parents and your mom are in the room." She whispered annoyed and amused, but since everyone else was silent the whole room heard her words.

House tensed slightly.

What an audience, he groaned internally.

He squinted and opens one eye to confirm her diagnosis.

His mom and her parents smiled at him knowingly, which unnerved him instantly.

There was another woman who he'd never met before who looked at him as if she was about to eat him and seemed to approve of his just woken amorous behaviour.

The other two men were her brothers. Rick, the flower welding brother, looked slightly annoyed but having been satisfied with Cameron's answers as to whether he loved her or not he seemed rather nonplussed. The other one however, the much taller and muscle-bound brother, looked almost livid.

He lowered his leg so that it now rested lightly on her legs instead of around her hips but he stayed wrapped around her and turned to his audience.

"Morning." he said confidently and grinning in the slightest as if to say _Yes, she's mine and I don't care who sees_.

William's smile grew even wider and he chuckled slightly.

"Morning." he answered, "I hear you've already met our Rick."

"Yeah we exchanged greetings, he waved flowers in my face and I sneezed and passed out." he scoffed.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Rick said slightly embarrassed, by the blush on his cheek House knew he'd been given a full briefing on what had happened in the past few days.

"And this is Jeremy and his wife Jessica." William said introducing the livid brother and his appreciative wife.

"Hi Greg." Jessica said with a charming smile.

Most of the room rolled their eyes at this point.

"Jess, please." Jeremy groaned.

"What? I'm allowed to look aren't I?"

House suddenly felt vulnerable and pulled Cameron closer.

"Just not too much." Cameron warned, "Or you'll have two Cameron's ready to kick your ass."

"Well toned gorgeous ass if you don't mind."

She winked; House couldn't tell whether it was at him or Cameron.

He was beginning to feel very uncomfortable being under such scrutiny.

And it wasn't just Jessica's appreciative roaming eyes but her husband's livid stare.

He sat up slowly, his arms and legs falling from around her and his legs moving over the edge of the bed.

Cameron reached for him resting her hand on his arm.

"You okay?" She asked gently.

As he turned back to her it felt as though they were the only two people in the whole world let alone this crowded room.

"Fine, just hungry. Do you want anything?"

"I ate when you were asleep."

House frowned a little and moved his hand through his hair.

"How did you manage that without getting crumbs in my hair?" he asked impressed.

"Because I'm just that good." She said grinning,

House smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek, his fingers brushing across her jaw.

"I'll find out just how good soon enough," He murmured against her ear in a rumbling low sexy tone.

Pulling back he picked up his cane and stood the turned to his audience to leave.

Jess looked as though she was about to tackle him to the ground so instead of going forwards he took a small step back and into the bedside cabinet, the vials of pain meds on the surface shook precariously.

House was scared; scared of what she might do to him and scared at that Cameron and her brother would do to him afterwards.

"Jess." Cameron warned.

"What? I'm not doing anything." she protested with a sigh.

"Jess, leave the man alone," Said William, "He's only been awake for two minutes and known you existed for the past 90 seconds. At least you gave me 10 minutes before you started shooting me looks with those bedroom eyes of yours."

House was in complete and utter shock at both William's words and the fact that Jessica was still openly staring at him despite her husband wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"No offence William but he's a hell of a lot sexier than you are." She points at his cane and says excitedly, "Look he even comes with his own toys! Allie you have fantastic taste and damn what I wouldn't give to see you two..."

Jeremy pressed his hand over her mouth.

"So not the time Jess." he whispered and kissed her neck lightly.

House could almost visibly see a change in her eyes as if the slightest touch from her husband could calm her and make her feel love instead of lust.

Cameron reached out a hand to him and pulled House closer as the others began to talk amongst themselves.

"She was in a car crash in her late 20's." She explained quietly, "She suffered brain damage and was medically dead for 9 minutes; she's been a little bit **_special_** ever since she came back to us." She said with a soft smile. "She'd always been very open before, always spoke her mind but now she just can't seem to help it which brings a very interesting and very sexy undercurrent to every family gathering. And while she stares at every one like they're sexual objects she only loves my brother. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

House leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I have two gorgeous women staring at me as if they are about to eat me alive, what is uncomfortable about that?"

"She won't touch you without Jeremy's okay, you're all mine." There was a deep flash of possessiveness in her eyes, House shivered slightly at the sight before she continued, "And just as well **_I_** don't need my brother's approval because he doesn't seem too keen on you right now."

"His wife has the hots for me, I'm not surprised." he said with a smug grin.

"Jess has the hots for everyone, even me. Probably your mom too."

"Ewwe," He groaned, "That's just nasty."

"And the fact that she wouldn't mind sitting in on us having sex is..."

"... is hot as hell." he murmured.

"Then hell will have to freeze over before I'll ever let that happen."

"And then we'll find a way to thaw it out." he said with a grin and kissing her one last time. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay." She said still slightly lost in the touch of his lips.

He turned and moved to the door upon reaching it he turned around.

"Mom," he said as he nodded in her direction.

"Cameron's." he said and glanced around the room until his eyes fell on Jess.

He grinned.

Cameron squirmed and blushed in embarrassment before he'd even done anything. She knew what that grin meant.

"Jessica." He said in a low sexy tone wagging his eyebrows slightly.

She made a strange sort of squealing sound and visibly shivered.

If she'd had not been leaning against her husband at the time she probably would have fallen to the ground.

House's grin grew wider.

"I told you chicks dig the cane!" he shouted swaggering down the hall as much as a man can swagger when using a cane.

Cameron buries her face in her hands.

"Sorry." She mumbles to a shocked room.

House's laughter echoes down the hall and into the room.

* * *

A/N: Just thought I'd let all my readers know about a multi-author fic called **Missed Opportunities** and well my chapter is coming up (Chapter 9 - Quitting, Quitting) in case you want to check out it or the fic as a whole. Highly recommended. There's also an M rated version for all you smut fans out there. You know who you are:-) 


	35. Chapter 35

House returned to Cameron's room sometime later after meeting up with Foreman and discussing Cameron's immanent physical therapy and subsequent discharge from the hospital. He was hard pressed to contain his excitement and happiness at the news that she'd be going home in two days.

Perhaps tomorrow even.

This happiness was shattered at the sight of Jeremy's sullen face and angered eyes the instant he opened the door.

Cameron lay on the bed, her father sat at the foot of the bed and Jeremy and Rick stood at one side.

"My, my… this room is simply filled with testosterone." he muttered.

He received no answer.

"Any idea where my new girlfriend went?" House asked moving to the opposite side from Cameron's brothers and give her a small wink.

William laughed.

Rick rolled his eyes.

Cameron smirked.

Jeremy looked livid.

"She's not..." Jeremy started as a growl.

"I am here." Cameron muttered reaching out to take House's hand. "Our mom's and Jess decided to go catch up and leave the boys to their talk, unfortunately leaving me in the middle of it." She said not unkindly with a soft smile.

House noticed Cameron shifting slightly uncomfortably on the bed.

He frowned but Jeremy spoke before he could contemplate the movement much more.

"I'm still uncomfortable with you being associated with anyone in my family, let alone my sister or my wife." Jeremy scoffed angrily.

"Be uncomfortable then." House shot back, not taking his eyes from Cameron.

"Allie, why the hell do you want this jerk?"

Cameron squirmed uncomfortably once more.

House scowled and looked up at Jeremy as he rubbed his thumb gently across her knuckles. "Because I care about her." House shot back before mumbling quietly to Cameron, "Are you okay?"

Cameron stopped and stared up at him with wide eyes, "You...?"

"Oh yeah, you cared enough about her to get her shot." Jeremy snapped.

House felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him and ice poured through his veins. He bowed his head and looked down at their joined hands and the only warm part of his body.

Cameron's hold on him tightened; a small spark of warmth ignited in his heart.

A tense silence filled the room.

William shot a dark look at his son.

"Aw don't look at me like that Dad you know its true." Jeremy said still angry. "He almost got your daughter killed and you're accepting him as family just because he thinks he can make everything alright by pretending he's in love with her."

The room awaited his response.

"I... I..." House stuttered. He couldn't think, his mind had once again begun replaying that horrible moment over and over again in his mind and he could barely focus on his words.

"You what?!" Jeremy shouted. "You're sorry? You love her? What?! What the hell could make this better?!"

"Nothing!" House roared, staring at Jeremy with a dark fire in his eyes. "Nothing I could say or do could make up for this or make it better."

He felt like he was back to square one again.

Cameron brought his palm to her lips as she had done when she had no words to forgive him. She kissed it just as softly and it burned just as much but it felt good, better than the first time even because now he knew how those sweet lips tasted and the meaning behind that soft touch.

Warmth flushed through his body and the heat was gone.

He didn't care what Jeremy thought, all that mattered was Cameron and she forgave him.

House smiled down at her gently, as their hands dropped to the mattress again, glad that he had her to pull him back from that dark place.

She shifted uncomfortably once more, a slight wince moving across her features.

House frowned once more, but again his thoughts were interrupted.

"How can you forgive him! He nearly killed you!"

"Get out." House growled turning and glaring at him. He'd had enough of being reminded of that day and he was concerned about Cameron's subtle shifts on the bed.

Jeremy looked at him as though he was crazy.

"Everyone out. Now." House said ordered still staring at Jeremy with anger and fire in his eyes.

William slid from the bed to stand.

"But..." Rick stammered.

"Out!" House roared.

"Come on boys." William said moving out the door.

Rick followed reluctantly. Jeremy didn't move.

"This isn't right." He protested. "She's **_our_** sister." He turned to Cameron looking for support. "He could have killed you!"

"OUT!" House bellowed.

"Jeremy, please." Cameron said gently.

Jeremy looked deep into her eyes before heading towards the door. "I'm going to your superiors." He replied threateningly just as House closed the door on his face and locked it.

"Fine." House answered confidently and closed the blinds.

He sighed and rested his head against the wall at the door hearing the last of Jeremy's protests.

"Greg."

He heard the soft caring and apologetic tone of her voice.

He didn't move.

"Greg." She sighed.

The rustle of the sheets signalled another uncomfortable movement.

"He's right."

"No, he's not. You lov..." She stopped abruptly, she didn't want to put words in his mouth or push him.

He turned to her and leaned her back against the wall. His eyes penetrated hers searching for her questions and the answers she wanted to hear.

She smiled softly. "I thought you were the one who was always right."

House smirked and looked on her with soft affectionate eyes.

She squirmed uncomfortably once more.

He frowned.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah sort of."

"Sort of?" He asked limping closer. "What's wrong?"

"I um..." She stammered embarrassedly looking down as her hands teased the bedclothes.

He took her hands in his. It fit so perfectly.

"Come on, you can tell me." He said encouraging her.

"I uh... I've got..." She nodded downward and shifted uncomfortably once more.

"Ah." He said in understanding a smirk spreading across his face.

"I've been stuck in bed ever since you left, I couldn't..." She said getting upset slightly, the sighed in defence. "It's not even the right time."

"Yeah, a bit early but I'm not surprised with all the stress of this past week." He said with a soft smile smoothing his thumbs across her knuckles.

"I... it just happened so fast one minute I was just sitting here the next I'm all wet and..."

"I'm just glad it didn't happen when you were sleeping or else it would be all over me." He smirked with mischief glinting in his eyes. "I can't believe you're getting me to do the embarrassing boyfriend thing already. So... pads or tampons?"

Cameron sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're such a pain in the ass." She said moving her legs over the side of the bed, hating the horrible rustling squelching sound the sheets made.

"And you love me for it." he said matter of factly.

She smiled back.

She didn't need to answer for him to know it was true, he leaned forward and kissed her lightly.

"Go for a shower and I'll get things cleaned up out here. And you didn't answer my question pads or tampons?" he said with a grin.

She rolls her eyes once more.

"There's a box of tampons in my locker... I'm sure you'll manage to find your way in some how." She said with a knowing grin and sliding from the bed.

"You know me too well." He said kissing her forehead lightly. "Now go get cleaned up, make sure you leave the door unlocked so I can get your gown and bring in fresh clothes. Hell I'll even get you a pair of scrubs so you can pretend you're a doctor."

She grinned and wrapped her arms around him kissing him deeply.

House returned the kiss for a moment and then stopped it prematurely.

"Red has never been my color." he muttered with a slight smirk. He points to the bathroom door. "Shower. Now."

Cameron rolled her eyes and shuffled embarrassedly to the bathroom closing the door behind her but leaving the door unlocked.

House an exciting thrill spread through him at the idea that she was entirely naked on the other side of the door. It was some what hampered by the red stain on the bed sheets.

He hung his cane on the edge of the cabinet and quickly went about stripping the bed and putting the sheets into a laundry bag. He limped over to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Come in!" She called over the sound of the drumming shower.

House entered the shower room and stopped.

Even through frosted glass and a layer of condensation her blurred naked body was a sight to behold.

"Damn." He muttered appreciatively he eyes moving over her fuzzy figure.

"What?" Cameron asked nonchalantly, tipping her head back under the spray and running her left hand through it, her right arm limp by her side.

House coughed. "Uh...um where...?"

Cameron opened the cubical door and stuck her head out. "Am I distracting you Greg?" She said with a grin. "My gown is in the sink."

House nodded and watched her disappear into the steam once more before he moved to the sink and quickly put her gown in the bag with her sheets and sealed it.

"You know I'm not sure I'll be able to find a pair of scrubs... you might have to go naked for a while." He said with a smirk.

"What a shame." She said sarcastically, "Oh well I guess no one but my doctors will be able to come in my room. Poor Foreman and Chase will be subjected to my naked body."

House frowned. "Pink or purple?" he asked.

Cameron giggled slightly, "Purple. And you need to get me another pair of shorts too. They are in the top drawer of the dresser."

"Anything else Mistress?" He asked in a smooth sarcastic tone.

"That's all Gregory. But if you can get some ripped, bronzed Adonis with a palm leaf I wouldn't object."

"Your Adonis is right here." He said with a smirk, "No palm leaves though so I guess you'll have to come up with some other use for me."

"I think I can live with that."

There was a rapping knock at the door to the room.

"House!" Cuddy called.

House sighed. "I'll be back soon."

Looks her up and down one last time and then closed the door behind him.

He dropped the bag into the laundry bin and moved to the door sighing before he opened it.


	36. Chapter 36

House opened the door to Cuddy and the male members of the Cameron family; two of them looking very nonplussed the other livid.

He opened the door just enough to stick his head out of the room.

"Cuddy!" He said over enthusiastically. "And what brings you to this quaint little room in the neurology department today?"

"House you can't kick a patient's family out of the room even if the patient is your girlfriend and employee."

House shivered a little at the sound of the word "girlfriend" but he shook it off soon after a millisecond of thought.

"She wanted them out too." He protested childishly.

"I want to talk to her." Cuddy said commandingly.

House sighed and rolled his eyes.

He opened the door and stood to the side a little.

Cuddy and Jeremy moved forward.

House let Cuddy by but as Jeremy neared he held out his hand and said in a patronizing tone. "Stay... good dog." And closed the door and blinds in his face.

Cuddy looked around.

"Where's Cameron? And why have you stripped the bed?" She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "House, so help me, if I find out you two soiled those sheets with some quick romp your ass will be in the clinic for all eternity."

"Well if it's just my ass, maybe I could have it removed." he said sarcastically. "Of course we didn't have sex!" he hissed, "Do you think either of us are in any condition to do that anytime soon."

"You're an evil genius, House. I wouldn't put it past you to have come up with a solution. Now where the hell is Cameron?"

"She's in the shower." He said quietly, "And the reason why she's in the shower and the sheets are in the laundry bin is because the stress of the week is taking its toll on her body."

"What do you mean?"

"She's going to turn into the devil for the next few days."

"What?"

"Time of the month." he said condescendingly, "Surfin' the crimson wave. Aunt Flo is visiting. The red river flows. Drippin' chilli. Ridding the cotton pony. Got the painters in. Sailin' the red sea..."

"Okay, okay, okay." She sighed in an exasperated way closing her eyes wishing away his vivid words, "I get the picture."

"She'd been stuck in here with her brothers and her Dad too embarrassed to say anything. I'm taking care of her." He said in a deep sure tone.

Cuddy stared at him a nodded slightly. "Okay."

"I have to go out and pick up some stuff I don't want anyone in here but a nurse to put more sheets on that bed okay? And make sure know that. No one, I repeat goes near the bathroom door let alone in it... it's unlocked and Al…Cameron's all naked in there." he said his body shivering as much as his tone.

Cuddy smirked. "Understood and I'll make sure everyone else understands too though I might not go into the details that you seem to be very interested in."

House sighed and rolled his eyes. "Just keep them out."

"Consider it done." Smiled at him and left the room. "Gentleman if you'll follow me this way please." House heard her say in a diplomatic manor as she led the Cameron's to the waiting area.

House smirked grabbing his cane and left the room just as a nurse walked towards the room with fresh blankets in her arms.

House stared her down. "What did Cuddy tell you?"

"Uh...um she said put sheets on the bed and get out before you came back or... or she'd have me on bed pan duty for the rest of my life." she stuttered and stammered looking fearfully into his eyes.

House smiled almost kindly.

"Great!" he said nearly bouncing down the hall.

He pressed the bell of the stethoscope to her locker and memorised the code with ease for future reference. He found the box of tampons with ease and had a cursory look through the items of her locker; a few magazines, a few novels; some trashy romance, a book of poetry and the latest Stephen King to his surprise which he pocketed. He also found her iPod and slipped that in next to the horror book to scroll through later at his leisure. He closed the locker and opened the closet in the locker room stocked with fresh scrubs. He picked out a small pair of purple pants and a large purple shirt knowing it would still allow easy access to her wounds and be easier to put on. Wrapping the box in the folded clothes he tucked the package under his arm and headed back to Cameron's room.

He smirked at Jeremy who still sat in the waiting area with his bother and father with a scowl comparable with any toddler who'd just had his favourite toy stolen. Jeremy stood and tried to move towards him. House smirked wider as William told him sternly to sit down.

House disappeared into the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

He turned to the dresser, depositing the book and her iPod on the top and rubbed his hands in anticipation. They pulled the drawer open slowly.

Its contents were entirely disappointing.

House sighed and reasoned that he shouldn't have gotten so excited considering her Mom and Dad had packed her bag.

He picked out a pair of shorts and moved to the bathroom door once more happy to hear the shower was still running.

His knuckles rapped against the door.

"Come in!" She called once more.

House grinned and walked in closing the door gently behind him. "And what would you have done if it was someone else?"

"Told them you were going to kick their ass." she said with a smirk.

"I'm sure they would have run from the room screaming." He said sarcastically, moving further into the room setting his finds on the cistern before lowering the lid of the toilet and sitting down watching her through the frosted glass the sight far better up close than from across the room.

His blood grew hotter and his palms slightly damp.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Oh yeah." He muttered resting his chin on the top of his cane and watching her body intensely.

She giggled slightly and shut off the spray.

A silence spun through the room.

"Turn around and close your eyes." She said gently her head emerging from the shower cubicle.

House was entranced by the pathways of droplets of water as they made their way down her arm. "What difference does it make whether I do both or one? Can't I turn around close my eyes... better yet stay facing this way with my eyes wide open." He finished with a soft grin across his lips.

She smirked at him.

"No chance."

_Not yet_, they thought simultaneously.

"What if I just turn around?" He asked doing so.

Taking a deep breath she said confidently, "If you don't close your eyes now they won't see anything later."

"Fine." He sighed closing his eyes all his other senses on high alert.

He heard the rustle of the towel as she passed it over her body and her hair. He could feel her breath on his neck as she reached over to the box at his side. He could smell the sweet scent of her shampoo wrapping around him.

"You know if you need any help I'd only be too happy to oblige." He murmured in a low tone.

"I've been doing this since I was 13; I think I can handle it." She said with a smirk.

"You've been putting things in your vagina since you were 13?" He asked in mock surprise. "That's so interesting. If you've been putting things in there since you were 13 I bet the sex with you would be pretty kinky."

Cameron slapped his arm.

"Hey," He said chuckling, "Leave the cripple alone."

"Oh stop being a baby." She murmured into his ear reaching for her shorts.

House shivered.

She pulled on her shorts with a little difficulty, for all intensive purposes only able to use one hand.

"Have you still got your eyes closed?" She asked teasingly.

"Yes." He answered tiresomely.

"I think I should check."

House tensed.

She stood behind him, so close he could feel her heat all across his back. Her hands rested on his shoulders. He breathed deeply. They moved slowly upwards, he groaned the instant her still damp fingers began to move through his hair. He could feel his hair spiking upwards in messy wet locks.

His lips parted and he breathed deeply both soothed and aroused by her touch.

"Damn." He muttered appreciatively.

"Are your eyes still closed?" She asked in a tone similar to his.

"Yeah." He whispered.

She moved forward pressing her body to his back as her hands touched his forehead and began to explore his skin gently and covering his eyes, feeling that they were closed.

Her hands moved to his chin and lifted it so that the crown of his head was lost somewhere near her breasts.

"You can open them now."

He opens his eyes and stares up at her.

"You're... you are fantastic." he said softly.

She smiled and lowered her lips gently to his.

House closed his eyes again and focused entirely on her kiss, the touch of her fingertips across his cheeks and the scent of her that surrounded him.

Her lips moved so softly against his he could hardly be sure they were there at all but the taste of her made his lips tingle and his body shiver.

"Hmm, the things I could do to you right now." He mumbled against her lips.

He felt her shiver.

"But no matter how horny either of us are, we can't do anything... Cuddy banned us. Plus you're all yucky and I just changed the sheets." He said with a grin.

"What makes you think I'm horny?"

House rolled his eyes.

"It's one of your symptoms."

She frowned slightly.

He smirked, "How else do you think I knew you were early?"

"My symptoms you say?" she said curiously.

House rolled his eyes, "You want me to tell you them all?"

She pulled back and reached for her pants. "Go for it." she said making sure he was still faced away from her.

"You look more tired when you come in the morning because you sleep was disturbed by cramps and varied temperature. You get up early instead of tossing and turning for another hour and go for a long jog in the morning to ease your cramps and so you can have the full fat chocolate muffin at lunch. And for four whole days you get this look in your eyes like you don't know whether to kill me or throw me down on the ground and have your wicked way with me. Coincidentally you become memorised by the sight of me with a sucker wondering what other delights my tongue might be able to feast on. I assume it's escaped your notice so far but I eat more suckers when you like that... I find it amusing and far more pleasurable." He said with a grin. "I think that about covers it."

Cameron pulled on her pants and stood there in awe listening to his words. "How the hell...?"

House smirks. "Because I'm just good." He said with a grin. "Don't worry it was all very subtle but entirely ego boosting considering I was the only one you looked at like that. Though I think I can remember a few rather disturbing looks in Wilson's direction."

His body shivered at the terrifying memory.

Cameron rolled her eyes and kissed the top of his head. "You're exaggerating."

"Only a little." he moped.

She stroked his neck gently, her body pressing against his back once more.

"Greg." She said in a low tone. "I only look at you like that."

"Good." He said possessively.

"Now I need you to help me get my shirt on." she said pressing it to his chest and quickly turned her back to him. "I can't walk around shirtless all day."

"What a shame." he said standing with a smirk on his lips before turning around.

The creamy expanse of her back was just as breathtaking as the first time he saw it. He dropped the shirt back down on the lid of the toilet and brushed her hair aside to let it fall across her uninjured shoulder before resting his hands on her hips.

"What happened to getting my shirt on?" She asked teasingly.

"Just a minute." he murmured and lowered his lips to the back of her neck as his hands moved further around her to meet over the waistline of her pants.

"Greg." she whispered, her left hand resting over his carefully. "You know you're exacerbating my symptoms right now and you were the one who said we couldn't do anything."

"Just a minute." he whispered and kissed down her spine and along her shoulder blade and around her bruised skin. "I think it's healing well."

She answered him with a soft and distracted hum.

He stepped forward pressing his body entirely to hers.

She gasped slightly at the feel of him, his reaction to seeing her in the shower and her soft touches and kisses now pressing against her ass. "Greg." She said hoarsely.

"Allie." he murmured moving to her shoulder and up her neck.

Her body shivered with his every touch but it wasn't with cold but with the intense heat that flowed through her veins.

He kissed her earlobe gently. He sighed slightly and rested his head against hers. "We should probably get that shirt on you."

"Probably." she said with a soft sigh and rubbed her hand gently across his.

He kissed her neck once more and pulled back, his body shivered as did hers at the lack of contact and warmth. He picked up the shirt and unfolding it bunching it so that he could easily guide it up her right arm and then pull the rest of the material over her head. He moved his arms around her once more and slid the shirt silently and carefully up her arm pulling the shirt down over her torso almost reluctantly as he watched her skin disappear beneath the purple material. He pulled her hair out gently from beneath the large shirt.

"All done." He said gently.

She turned and slid her left arm gently around his neck. "Far from it." She whispered with a soft smile.

He smiled back, "Good to know," he murmured and kissed her softly.


	37. Chapter 37

House and Cameron emerged from the bathroom with soft secret smiles on their faces, unlocking the door and opening the blinds before they lay down in her bed with her curled at his right side, his hand moving softly through her quickly drying hair as they talked of everything profound and nothing of consequence.

"Vanilla is the best." Cameron protested with a grin.

"No way!" he said with an equally large grin, " Rocky Road is so much better."

"Uh-uh. A good Vanilla ice cream goes with anything and everything... much more versatile and great on its own."

House smirks. "Well when you put it like that..." he murmured turning slightly and pressing his lips to hers.

They didn't get to kiss long as the door to the room slid open.

"Ooo are we interrupting?" Jess said excitedly bouncing into the room with Martha and Blythe in tow.

House groaned and rolled onto his back. "No not at all. In fact I had wondered where you'd gotten to." he said with a sexy grin.

Jess shivered and grinned almost bashfully as she moved further into the room drawing herself towards his left side, that which was unoccupied.

"Greg." His mother said in a tone that was all too familiar to him.

"What?" He said in an incredulous tone and a sly grin, "Why shouldn't I know where my new girlfriend is?"

Jess squeaked and jumped closer her hand smoothing almost longingly across the small empty expanse of bed beside them.

Cameron smirked. "You look tired Jess." She said in a concerned tone.

Jess lit up and looked as though her birthday and Christmas had come all at once.

House turned and glared at Cameron, _What the hell are you doing?!_ he asked with his eyes.

_You asked for it_, hers shot back.

"I think there's enough space there." She said with a grin.

And before House could comprehend it Jess was in the bed at his left side pulling his arm around her and burying her nose in his shirt and moving her explorative hand over his chest.

"He smells so good!" She squealed.

House sighed softly in relief as her hand stopped at his waistband.

But it was at this point that Jeremy walked in with Rick and William in tow.

"What's going on in here then?" He asked his eyes falling on House and Jess.

House froze.

Oh shit.

And Jess's hand tensed over his belt.

"Jer please." she whined childishly. "I want him."

Fear coursed through House's body and it didn't seem to escape Jeremy's notice as he grinned almost evilly and a malicious glint spread in his eyes.

"Okay Jess." He said staring at House with a look in his eyes that said his reaction to this would be the ultimate character reference and the future of their entire "in-law" relationship would be based on it.

It was the last thing House saw before darkness swept over him and Jess kissed him hungrily.

"Jess stop." Was what he was trying to say but she took the opportunity of his open mouth to press her tongue down his throat.

Beside him he could feel Cameron tense against his side. He didn't know if it was with jealousy or laughter but he knew it just had to end. He reached around her back and pulled on her shoulder.

"Stoghp..." he mumbled against her lips with her tongue still in his mouth.

She pulled back and very nearly collapsed against his side with an almost dopey grin on her face.

"Thanks but I can't Jess." He said pulling Cameron tighter to his side; he still hadn't dared look down at her afraid of what he'd see. "I... I... Allie." He stumbled slowly not knowing or wanting to say that he was Cameron's.

"Maybe some other time Jess." Cameron said possessively, her hand resting over his heart.

House sighed in sweet relief and looked down at Cameron. "Thank you." He muttered only to her then spoke louder, "So I'm just a piece of meat for you to share with your sister in-law."

"My very good looking, smart piece of meat." She said with a teasing grin.

House chuckled and kissed her forehead and suddenly became aware of everyone else in the room.

His mom, her parents and her brothers were staring at them with varying degrees of shock; only Jeremy seemed somewhat lucid with a strange sort of smile on his lips.

"Allie if I had him I wouldn't let him go." Jess murmured curling up against his side with her head on the opposite shoulder from Cameron's as they talked across his chest.

"Hello, right here." She said with a soft grin. "Not letting go."

"Neither am I." House said so quietly intend for only Cameron's ears, but Jess still heard.

"Awww! That's so sweet you guys!" She said genuinely happy for them, she squeezed Cameron's hand over House's heart. "And I'll be so disappointed if you pick someone else to threesome with."

In the corner of the room Blythe House gasped and blushed and coughed embarrassedly.

House chuckled softly, "I'm sure you're first on our list." He said half joking.

"You kids." Blythe said shaking her head, but a hint of a smile around her lips.

"Aren't you proud of me mom?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

"It's kind of hard not to be." she said with a soft smile.

House smiled back and kissed Cameron gently on her forehead once more. Jess watched them almost longingly and turned to look at Jeremy. He smiled at her and tipped his chin so that moments later she was off the bed and buried deep in his embrace once more as she craved the love that was so obvious between House and Cameron.

He sighed softly and glancing at his mom seeing her standing alone and obviously missing his father, he was instantly glad of the distraction that walked through the door in the shape of Cameron's physiotherapist.

And what a rough, tall, broad, blonde, muscle-y shape of a woman it was.

She looked like and Eastern European body builder.

"Hello Helga." House said in a too-deep voice with a thick German accent.

She sighed and apparently dropped her shoulders, though they only seemed to drop the slightest millimetre her muscle-bound shoulders hardly moving. "My name is Helen, Dr House."

"Whatever you say, Helgaaaaaahh!" He whined in pain as Cameron's fingers gripped his nipple and twisted it. "Aaow." He said staring down at her incredulously.

"Play nice." she said releasing him.

"Fine." He murmured petulantly. "Hi Helen."

She grinned and moved further into the room. "Hi. I'm going to have to ask everyone to leave; I have to check your shoulder before we can start the exercises."

Cameron nodded to everyone in the room.

"We're going to help get the boys settled in the hotel." William said softly. "We'll pop back in later to see how you're doing."

The Cameron's left the room leaving Blythe standing alone at the foot of the bed somewhat out of place.

"Mom?" House asked concerned with a soft frown.

"I'll see you later, Greg." She said with a smile but sadness in her eyes. "You too, Allison."

They both watched her leave with concern in their eyes.

"Doctor House." Helen said in a warning tone as she pulled the blinds over.

"Nuh-uh." House said childishly, holding Cameron tighter as if she were his favourite toy.

Cameron rolled her eyes, "He can stay."

House grinned and stuck his tongue out at Helen, while her back was still turned.

"You're such a baby." Cameron muttered trying to sit up.

"Hey, wait." House said quickly disentangling his arms from around her and sitting up himself to better help her up to his side.

Helen smiled secretly at the simple display of affection from the usually gruff doctor.

Cameron turned her back to him letting her feet dangle over the edge.

House reached the hem of her shirt. "Turn around."

"No way!" Exclaimed Cameron.

"I wasn't talking to you," He murmured.

Helen frowned. "Why?"

He didn't want anyone ogling his girl let alone some one who could beat him to a pulp and looked suspect in the heterosexual category.

"Greg." Cameron said warningly sensing his thoughts.

"Fine." he murmured, but secretly glad as he saw Helen sigh and turn as asked. He took off her shirt in the fashion backwards for how he put it on in the bathroom before straightening it out and resting it over her chest, pressing a soft kiss against her shoulder before settling back against the pillows, his thigh resting against the base of her spine. "Let's get this over with then."

House pretended to be disinterested throughout the whole session more interested in Cameron's iPod as he flicked through it, but he was entirely focused watching as the rough looking woman handled Cameron's right arm with extreme care, manipulating it gently this way and that in an intricate ballet that would keep her muscles limber and warm. He watched every jolt through her body as she hid her pain; he listened to every grunt and hiss correlating it with the movements at the time.

"You'll need someone to help you with your exercises after you leave tomorrow but I'll need to see you in the morning before you leave and twice a week for at least three weeks after that."

"I'm leaving tomorrow?" She asked somewhat confused and shocked.

"Oh did I forget to mention that?" House said quietly.

"Yes, you did." She said turning to look at him.

"Oopps." he said with a smirk.

"You jerk." she said with a similar smile.

Helen rolled her eyes. "So whoever's going to help you with these exercises make sure they're here tomorrow."

"No need, I'm already here." House said quietly.

"Okay, I'll be back in the morning to run you through them."

House rolled his eyes. He already had them memorised.

"Thank you." Cameron said politely. "Could you lock the door on the way out?"

Helen smiled and nodded, "You're welcome." She said heading over to the door.

The lock clacked shut behind her.

"You shit." She said looking down at him with a smile in her eyes.

He grinned and chuckled. "I know, I know but it's not as if I had the opportunity since I came back from breakfast."

"You've known since this morning?!"

House looked suitably apologetic and sat up sliding an arm around her and kissing her shoulder softly. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"God this is going to be so hard." She muttered her eyes fluttering closed.

"Why?" he asked still moving his lips across her skin.

"I couldn't stay mad at you before but now that you can do this it makes it even worse."

He grinned and kissed her neck softly. "I'm sure you'll find reasons to be mad at me." He kissed her shoulder again. "I **_am_** sorry."

"I know it's just that I can't wait to get out of here." she said with a shiver in her voice as he moved his hand gently across her stomach. "Greg, you have to stop doing this." she begged as a whisper.

"Why?" he said kissing her still and letting his fingers tease the waistband of her pants.

"Cos you're turning me on and there's nothing you can do but make it worse." she said breathlessly.

He bit lightly where neck met shoulder shivering at the moan that shook up her throat and across her lips. "But it feels so good." he whispered. "You feel so good."

"Greg not now, please." She murmured squirming at the edge of the bed, all too aware that her arm holding her shirt across her chest was the only thing keeping her covered.

"Allie does it feel good?"

"Too damn good." she whispered.

"Turn around." he asked softly, pulling back for the first time in several minutes.

She stayed still for a moment and then turned facing him, her knee against his hip and the stack of pillows, feeling small and nervous and still aroused.

"Give me your shirt." He said holding out his hand.

She frowned and shivered a little at the thought of being exposed and of the idea of being closer to him, one less barrier between them.

House smiled at her indecisiveness.

"Trust me."

"Trust you?"

He didn't say anymore just smiled softly and kept is hand out awaiting the thin material.

She frowned and bit her lip.

She sighed and tossed the shirt at his face not bothering to cover herself with her arm.

"Hey what was that for!" he said pulling the shirt from his face, his argument lost in a millisecond as his eyes were uncovered and his breath caught. "Damn, you're beautiful." He whispered.

She smiled bashfully and blushed at his comment and his stare.

He smiled softly and fixed the shirt so it was the right way up and slid it carefully up her arm and over her head.

"That wasn't so bad no was it?"

Cameron shook her hair from under her shirt and slipped her other arm through.

"Are you saying I should trust you more often?"

He smirked. "You should trust me always."

She smirked and lifted her body over his, straddling his thighs, settling her weight over him experimentally.

He groaned loudly, instinctively resting his hands on her hips pressing her to him.

"Oh but I do." She murmured in his ear, kissing his stubbly cheek softly as she pulled back.

"Thank god for that." He whispered his prayer and kissed her deeply.


	38. Chapter 38

"This has got to be hurting your leg." She muttered against his lips.

"I'm fine." he said, his left arm holding her tightly to his body, his healing right hand cradled the back of her head and holding her against his lips, kissing her deeply.

"That was a subtle hint that I think we should stop." she murmured but her good arm remained tight around his neck and moved gently through his hair.

"You were the one that thought it was a good idea to straddle me in the first place." his arm flexed around her rubbing her against him is his lips moved down across her neck.

She moaned softly. "I've wanted to do it for so long." She whispered.

He stopped and closed his eyes, kissing her neck softly. "You've got me... you can have this when you want."

She sighed softly, moving her hand through his hair. "Then can we do this later, Greg." she lowered her lips to his ear, "Tomorrow. At home."

House growled softly, "You drive a hard bargain but I totally understand the need for home comforts in this sort of situation." He mumbled nipping the skin of her neck gently.

Her whole body shivered. She whimpered softly her head dropping to his shoulder.

"I've got you, Allie." he said pulling back slightly and moving his hands gently up and down her spine. "I've got you." His lips moved softly across her neck and down to her collar bone, soothing her.

She hummed slightly and relaxed against him almost sleepily.

"Come on, lets get you laid down." he said carefully lifting her right leg from across his lap and laying her down on the mattress. He lowered his own body until she was comfortably curled against his side.

Her forehead rested against his neck and her leg over his. "Are you okay?" He whispered.

"Yeah, just a little tired." she murmured.

He kissed her forehead. "Then sleep, Allie." he said stroking her hair gently.

She hummed softly. "Love you." she murmured and drifted into slumber.

House tensed.

Several minutes passed, the only sound in the room was Cameron's slow steady breathing.

She said it.

She said the "l-word" and meant it.

He gulped and breathed deeply before grinning to himself. "I love you too." he whispered to her the words he'd almost been longing to say for at least a week and longer. His hand stroked her back gently keeping her in blissful slumber but none the less he felt lighter for saying those soft words to her.

Those words, the feeling, the vision of her in his mind it had burned him from the inside out for so long, tormenting and torturing him with every spare minute of the day.

In the beginning her beautiful form had been the source of many dreams and fantasies which had been a sweet escape from his lonely life. But as time passed they became a glimpse of what he could have as her growing attraction to him became ever apparent, initially he shrugged off her feelings and his dreams but after they both persisted through Stacy's return his dreams were so sweet that when he woke up they seemed more like nightmares, taunting him with possibilities of future happiness.

It didn't feel like such a burden anymore, not now he knew it was shared.

He hated to admit it but guilt was such a motivator in this situation. If he hadn't felt guilty, if he hadn't almost lost her then he wouldn't have been so kind... he wouldn't have given in so easily. But give in he did and with her curled sleeping at his side and the taste of her lingering on his lips he felt happy.

He breathed deeply and closed his eyes resting his chin against her hair and drifted asleep, dreaming of a future that no longer tormented him.

* * *

House woke to the sound of someone creeping around the room.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed at Foreman who almost jumped out of his skin at the sound.

"I came in to check up on you two." he said quietly. "The door was locked but I didn't get any answer so I used a maintenance key."

"How original." House said sarcastically, "Did homie forget his bobby pin?"

Foreman rolled his eyes. "How's you're head?" he asked taking out a penlight and shining it in House's eyes.

"Ah, fine until someone shines a light in my eyes. And as I'm sure you can tell my charming personality hasn't been affected." House snarked in a quiet tone.

Foreman raised an eyebrow and glanced at Cameron.

"What was that look for?" House said darkly, a frown creasing his brow.

"Nothing." Foreman said looking away slightly guilty.

"I should think so, now where's Chase? I thought he was on Cameron's case too." he said looking around, the word Cameron rolling from his tongue with less ease than it used to.

"Paperwork; he's arranging her discharge papers." He said with a soft sigh as if he wasn't happy about the fact.

House smirked, "Plus he's still scared of Cameron's Dad."

_Thank god!_ he thought, taking in Foreman's words.

"So when can she leave?" he asked in an almost normal tone.

"As soon as her physio session is over tomorrow morning... I'll have the refill for her meds sent up first thing."

"Good." House muttered the fingertips of his hand moving absentmindedly beneath her shirt at her hip causing her to stir slightly and shift closer to him.

Foreman frowned.

"Don't do that look again." House ordered, his brow creased in annoyance.

"Fine." he grumbled stepping back a little. "How's Cameron doing?"

"Tired after her physio hence the sleeping, but otherwise she's fine." He said as a murmur, "Her shoulder is healing well."

Foreman nodded and moved towards the door.

"Right, well I'm off. Goodnight."

The door closed behind him, neither of them expected him to reply.

And he didn't disappoint.

House sighed and kissed Cameron's hair gently, the sounds of gentle murmurs making their way through the glass door. House stayed alert his eyes focused on the shadows on the blinds.

His mother entered a few seconds later.

"Hi." she said in a soft tone, her eyes slightly sad.

"Hey. Mom... are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

He fixed her with the same poignant stare she had used on him in his youth.

"I talked to your father this afternoon. He's still at the hotel in New York but he wants to go home."

House nodded slightly. "Is he coming to pick you up?" he asked knowing that she was expected to go with his dad.

She sighed. "I'm sorry for what he did but..."

"Mom, it's fine. I'm a big boy now; I can take care of myself." He said with a soft grin. He glanced down at Cameron. "I think I know how it is... falling in love with someone who isn't good for you but still you can't live without."

She frowned. "But... but Allison's perfect."

"I know. I was talking about me." He said slightly sadly.

"Greg, you're not your father." She whispered.

"I know, but it doesn't mean I'm good for her." He said his eyes wavering from his mothers gaze.

"But you love her."

He stayed silent but nodded once.

"And it's obvious to anyone that she loves you so I don't see a problem."

"It's not really a problem, just a worry, a doubt." he mumbled.

"Greg, every one in a new relationship has doubts and worries but as long as you love her and trust her I know you can get through it."

House took a deep breath and nodded, with resolve coursing through him.

He'd always found emotions hard to understand, even in his own heart and mind but his mother's words forever seemed to pull him from the shadows of ignorance and confusion and give him comfort.

"I'd better go now. Your dad said he'd be here to pick me up in an hour."

House shifted trying to slide out from beneath his sleeping partner.

"No, no stay there." Blythe said softly. "That girl of yours needs her rest. So do you for that matter so don't get up to too much when you two go home tomorrow." She muttered with a sly grin around her mouth.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, his lips forming his own small grin.

She reached forward and took his hand, the air of seriousness returning in a fraction of a second.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

He closed his eyes and smiled softly, wondering how it was possible to feel so much like a man and so much like a child in the same instant. "Thanks Mom." he muttered squeezing her hand gently.

She pulled back and smiled down at him, the pride she had for him shining in her eyes. "Take care of her. And let her take care of you."

"I will." he promised.

"Good." she said stepping back. "Hopefully I'll see you soon, if not I did notice that there is a working telephone in your apartment, I'll leave a note of our number in case you forgot it." she said with a grin.

He rolled his eyes. "I call you soon."

"Glad to hear it. And don't forget what I said." She spoke as her hand fell on the door handle.

"Never."


	39. Chapter 39

Cameron woke up in a cold sweat, her whole body shivering and shaking. An arm around her body tightened and a warm scruffy familiar kiss was pressed to her forehead. She groaned softly as her body calmed down from her fast disappearing nightmare.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, turning towards her and stroking her cheek gently.

She lifted her leg over his hips, letting it settle there comfortably as she nodded.

"Yeah... yeah just..." She trailed off her eyes closing finding it all too easy to find herself back in the conference room staring down the barrel of a gun.

House cupped her cheek and kissed her softly sensing where her thoughts were and wanting to distract her instantly. She moaned lightly and kissed him back with equal care and affection.

"Thank you." she murmured.

"It's the least I can do." he answered softly.

She grinned, "In that case I can't wait to find out the most you can do."

He smirked.

"I'm going to make you forget everything." he voice rumbled in a low tone as he nuzzled her neck gently, "Nothing will matter. You'll feel no pain, no fear." He could feel her heart rate speed up beneath his lips. "I'll make you feel so good." He murmured kissing her pulse and whispered more to himself that anyone else. "I should have done this ages ago."

"Yeah." She answered distractedly, his every touch putting her further and further under his spell.

"You'll feel nothing... nothing but..." He sighed and pulled back and rested his forehead against hers and stared into her still sleepy eyes. "Nothing but love." he whispered his confession.

She smiled softly, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Her right hand moved up his chest to cover his heart despite the shiver of pain that moved through her shoulder.

He covered her hand with his own and pressed his lips gently to hers.

She kissed him back, a few tears dripping down her cheeks to the pillow beneath their heads.

He rubbed his thumb gently over her fingers as he pulled back with a soft smile on his mouth. "You women are such emotional creatures." he whispered kissing her tears and moving his still bandaged hand across her hair.

She laughed lightly and curled her leg tighter around his hips. "I know but you have to admit I've had a pretty emotional last two weeks." she said with a smile. "And you've been with me through all of it."

"I am sorry." he murmured his apologies once more.

"Greg, I don't want or need an apology... it wasn't your fault and that's the last I ever want to hear of it. Ever. I get enough of a reminder with my nightmares." she said with a soft sigh.

He nodded knowing that the incident would haunt his own dreams for years to come. "Okay." His voice rumbled.

They stared into each others eyes the despair soon gone as soft smiles spread across their mouths at the sight of what lay in the others eyes.

"What?" House said with a grin.

"What do you mean **_what_**?" She said grinning back. "You smiled first."

"I did not!" He said indignantly still grinning.

"Did to!"

"Not!" House said rolling her gently onto her back and leaning over her.

"To." She replied quieter, his movement distracting her entirely as she stared up at him.

"Not." He whispered.

"To." Cameron murmured just as softly.

The argument fell away and they were lost in each others eyes once more. Her hand was still pressed to his heart, feeling its continuous beating. His hand smoothed gently through her hair. "I'm falling in love with you." he whispered. "Don't cry again." He said with a smile.

"I can't help it." She said with a grin and more tears. "I'm falling in love with you too."

"I'll catch you." He whispered and kissed her softly, leaning over her body with his own.

She moaned softly and kissed him back, the touch quickly deepening to something far more intimate and loving than any touch between them in the past.

"I love you." She muttered against his lips. This spurned him to kiss her more fiercely as he rested more weight on her, pressing their hips together with as much pressure as his care for her wellbeing allowed.

Their lips and tongues moved softly over the others touching, caressing... loving.

"Oh god why do you always have to be doing that?" Wilson said walking into the room, instantly diverting his eyes.

House and Cameron groaned loudly at yet another interruption.

"Because we haven't had sex yet." House said matter of factly, rolling from her a little but still sprawled over her soft body for the most part.

"Greg!"

"What it's true... but it won't be for very long." he said kissing her deeply once more.

"Man, I don't need to know that stuff."

"Well we're going home after her physio session so at least you won't have to see it." He said with a grin as he rolled on to his back holding Cameron close to him, but there was little need as her body seemed to follow his of its own accord.

"You never told me we were going home." Cameron said looking up into his eyes.

_Where is home?_ They both thought at the same instant.

"Foreman came in to check up on you while you were asleep, we get a visit from Helga and then we're off." he answered rubbing her back gently.

She kissed his lips softly and settled back down against his body knowing nothing else needed to be said, their joined hands resting over his heart.

"What happened?" Wilson said watching them with a slight frown.

"What do you mean?" House answered.

"You two are different somehow."

House rolled his eyes. "Might have known lover boy here would pick up on it."

"What?" Wilson asked desperate for gossip.

"Allie's moving in with me." He said softly squeezing her hand gently.

He could feel her smile against his chest and knew she was okay with it, that the question didn't need to be asked because it was the answer to another.

_Where was home?_

And they knew it would be with each other no matter where it was.

"Really?!" Wilson exclaimed. "That's great you guys!" He said with a genuine smile.

"Thanks." House murmured, his fingertips moving over the back of her hand gently feeling her grin against his ribs. "I just hope she makes for a better flatmate than you did." he said with a grin.

"Oh I doubt it." she said with a grin, "But I can assure you the compensation will more than make up for it." She murmured kissing his neck gently.

"You make macadamia nut pancakes?" He said with a smirk.

She grinned and laughed at his side, the movement sending delicious shocks of electricity and fire through their bodies.

He was happy to hear her laugh and see her smile. His whole body felt lighter somehow, glad that he was the one to make her happy. It seemed to him that if she could still appreciate his humour then she could accept him for who he was... accept his love for what it was.

"God, I love you." he whispered as he kissed her hair not caring that Wilson was still in the room.

She smiled and lifted her body up slightly to press her lips gently to his. "I love you, too."

Wilson however stood their mesmerized watching two broken pieces break once more to fit together so perfectly it made him wonder about fate and destiny.

It was really quite beautiful.

Cameron pulled back from their soft kiss and settled down beside him once more, ignoring the ache in her shoulder needing to feel him for a little longer before she took her pills.

"Seen enough have you?" House said to Wilson. "And get that look off your face as if you've never seen two people kiss before... I remember you still need to give me back my copy of Busty Babes 4."

Wilson seemed to dry heave in the corner pulled from his stupor and dragged roughly into reality.

Cameron giggled. "You boys can watch your porn when I'm in a bath. Just make sure you clean up after yourselves."

"Aw Allie you know you wanna watch them too." House whined. "We could take down some ideas for when we invite Jess over."

Cameron laughed loudly at his words but ever more so at the look of abject horror and confusion on Wilson's face.

"Who's Jess?" He asked, the look on his face echoing the fact that he was unsure if he really wanted to know.

"Allie's nymphomaniac sister in-law who wants to threesome with us."

"Did you just say what I think you said?" Wilson stammered.

"Allie's nymphomaniac sister in-law who wants to threesome with us." he repeated in a tiresome sing-song voice.

"Oh god you did." He said pressing his hands to his face and beginning to pace.

All the while Cameron giggled against his side.

"Is this true?" Wilson asked Cameron.

"Yeah, yeah." She said with a grin still half chuckling. "Jess is special."

"And what does your brother make of this?"

"He said it's fine." she answered.

"To say the least." House muttered. "The man smiled after watching her shove her tongue down my throat."

"You've kissed her?!" Wilson hissed.

"She kissed me... in this very bed." House said with a grin. "And Allie here had front row seats."

Wilson slapped his hand to his head with a loud groan. "And you say my relationships a weird. Well whatever works for you guys." He said moving to the door. "In case I don't see you before you leave get well and good luck... I'm going to have a lie down."

And he left before either of them could recover from their laughter to respond.

They sighed with laughter still shaking through them as they calmed down.

"The look on his face!" Cameron said with her giggles renewing.

"I think he's jealous, he's always had two girls at once... just never in the same bed."

"And you want two girls in one bed?" She asked half seriously.

"It might be interesting but I all I want is you." he whispered.

"Good answer." She said with a grin.

"I do that quite a lot." He whispered touching his lips briefly to hers. "I don't know about you but I could do with some pills and breakfast."

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

"I have lots of those too." He said with a grin.

"I know." she murmured grinning and kissing her shoulder.

They had a quick breakfast and their pills. Cameron emerged from the bathroom with a smile on her face as she dropped the pack of tampons into her bag happily; it didn't escape House's notice that she hadn't used another, which made sense given the earliness of her stress induced period. They wore secret smiles as they moved around the room slowly packing her stuff and awaiting the arrival of Helen and the end of the session that would mean going home.

"I think we should go home." House whined impatiently as they slipped into the bed, the room packed and ready to go, Cameron dressed in jeans and a large sweatshirt, her blue sling on the beside cabinet waiting for when they'd leave.

"You're such a baby."

"Nuh uh I'm a man... and you're going to find out how much of a man I am so very, very soon." he murmured kissing her softly.

"We still have to wait for Helen."

"But I know all the exercises." He said kissing her neck softly.

"But I need my pills."

"You can have mine." he compromised.

"Greg... are you really sure about me moving in?"

"I've spent the last god knows how many nights sleeping with you in my arms. I need you. And I'd love for you to move in."

She frowned slightly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I can always toss you out on your ass if I change my mind." He said with a grin. "But then again it is such a beautiful ass."

She laughed softly but slightly nervously.

"Of course I'm sure." he whispered. "I love you and I want to be with you."

She stroked his cheek gently and smiled up at him. "Yet another good idea." And she kissed him softly.

"A good idea would be for him not to be lying on top of you." Said Helen, as she stepped into the room.

"Just 'cos you want her for yourself." House grumbled sliding from over Cameron and sitting up against the pillows.

"Greg." Cameron hissed at him.

"What?" House asked helping her to sit up.

"I'm bisexual if you must know, but I'm very happy with my boyfriend at the moment and I'm entirely professional when it comes to my job."

"Told you so." House said smugly.

"What? She could be interested in you, you know."

Helen scoffed quietly.

"Are you crazy?" House said with a sceptical look. "Nobody is interested in me but you."

"Oh really?" She said with a smirk.

"Okay so there's you and Jess. But you don't count because you're both crazy."

"Then you should be able to pull in the phsyc wing then."

"You know for a couple so intent on going home you sure seem happy to waste time talking about really random stuff." Helen remarked stepping towards them as Cameron turned her body, gangling her legs over the edge of the bed.

He kissed Cameron's shoulder softly before hopping from the mattress and moving around the bed.

"Isn't that what couples are supposed to do?" He asked.

Helen rolled her eyes and shook her head, a smile around her mouth.

"You guys ready?"

"Yes." the answered together. _In more ways than one_, they both thought.


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Rating may change subject to reviews. This is the penultimate chapter.**

* * *

The session was over quickly for House did indeed know all the exercises and Helen moved quickly through the few extra movements that he was instructed not to attempt as they pushed her a little further.House rolled his eyes and scoffed but he wouldn't attempt them, he couldn't risk hurting her; she was too important to him. 

Helen left and Foreman and Chase arrived with Cameron's meds, muttered goodbyes and well wishes.

Chase very nearly ran from the room as Cameron's Family arrived, House was sure he only returned with a wheelchair because Foreman made him and it was hospital policy.

Richard, Jeremy and Martha got into Cameron's car and drove it to her apartment assuming that that was their destination.

House instructed William to his own apartment.

William carried Cameron's bag into the building as House supported Cameron, his arm wrapped carefully around her body. He opened the door to the organised chaos that was his home, recently "tidied up" by his mother.

"The bathroom is straight up the hall, towels are in the cupboard in there." House said sensing her need for a shower, the physio session leaving a sheen of sweat on her brow.

She kissed his cheek and sauntered down the hall and into the bathroom; House watched her go mesmerized by the sight of her and the idea of her being naked in his shower, in his home.

William coughed.

House gulped.

"You take care of her you hear?" He said somewhat sternly but there was the slightest hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Yes sir." House replied, nodding empathically.

William grinned. "We'll be in town until tomorrow, the boys can help move some things around and we'll say a proper goodbye. I'll be here at 10 o'clock sharp." He said with a smirk.

"Okay." House said unsurprised that William had figured out that Cameron was moving in.

William smiled and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around him and embracing him as a son. House had never really been fond of hugging other guys even his own father but this was different, there was complete and utter acceptance and trust in that embrace.

"Thank you." He muttered hugging him back, he didn't know why he said it but there was something in his heart that wanted to thank the man for all the small and great things he'd done for him over the past week or so.

"You're welcome, son." He replied pulling back with a huge smile on his face. "Take care of her and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay dad." he said, believing in the word Dad more than he'd ever done before.

William smiled and left.

House finally felt a part of something, the idea of having his own family with Cameron seemed far more plausible and pleasurable now that he'd become a part of hers.

He moved down the hall and dropped her bag in his room before picking out a pair of shorts from the bag and a t-shirt from his own wardrobe. The bathroom door was unlocked as he'd expected. He slipped into the room and sat down on the lowered lid of the toilet seat and watched her body with a soft smile on his face.

"Hey." She said softly, through the frosted glass he could see her eyes were focused on him.

"Hey." He said just as quietly.

"Are you going to watch me every time I shower?" She asked with a grin.

"Every time I can't be in there with you, yeah." he said matter of factly.

She laughed lightly and shut off the spray.

"Need any help?" He asked watching as she attempted to dry her body one-handed-ly.

He could see her bite her lip nervously through the glass.

"Yeah." she said pushing open the door, the towel in her hand covering her body haphazardly and self-consciously.

He smiled reassuringly and stepped forward taking the towel gently from her hand, revealing her body to him but his gaze didn't linger, there would be time enough for exploration later. He kissed her lips softly and proceeded to pass the towel gently over her skin concentrating on only her, paying attention to every inch and curve of her body ensuring it was meticulously dry. He helped her step into her shorts and pulled the shirt over her head carefully.

"Feeling better?" He asked softly moving the towel gently through her fast drying hair.

She kissed him softly. "Much."

He smiled slightly seeing the tell tale signs of tiredness in her eyes and her body which didn't surprise him how fast she fell asleep after yesterday's physio session, but he also saw her resolve to stay awake but he knew ultimately it would lose and she'd be sleeping peacefully minutes from now.

"Why don't you get into bed and I'll heat up some soup." He said softly.

She nodded and slid into the cool fresh sheets of his king size bed. She was asleep moments later, the scent of him ingrained into the sheets lulling her into slumber.

House bustled around the kitchen smiling at the casserole and homemade soup he found in the fridge, a parting gift from his mother. Not to mention the chocolate cake in the corner, he couldn't resist dipping his finger into the icing of and smacking his lips slightly at the sweet taste. But he didn't heat the soup, guessing that Cameron would be asleep by now. He smiled as he entered the bedroom, his suspicions confirmed.

She looked so small and delicate curled up in his bed.

In his bed.

He shook his head slightly never before believing that they would get to this point.

He went for a quick shower himself, wanting to be clean in his freshly dressed bed and ready for when she woke up. He undid the bandage on his hand, dark bruises stared up at him but they were nothing compared to hers. He didn't re-bandage his hand... he wanted to be as close to her as possible with no barriers what so ever, but for proprieties' sake he donned a pair of boxers and slipped into bed spooning her soft body, ever careful of he shoulder as his broken hand slipped beneath her shirt and rested against her warm stomach.

Water and their meds sat waiting on the bedside cabinet.

House stayed awake with a growing nervousness building in his body, it felt like his first time all over again. Could he please her? Sure he was experienced but he wanted to be her best. He wanted this to be special. He shook his head slightly and kissed her shoulder carefully. He would take his time and do it one step at a time. He shivered lightly in anticipation, his mouth continuing to move softly over her neck intending to rouse and arouse her oh so very slowly.

His mouth trailed up and down her neck and along her jaw, pausing to nibble and suck her ear gently with each passing. She moaned gently still in her sleep, which was something House was quiet keen on for the moment. His mouth moved slowly over her neck again and again.

"Allie." He whispered in her ear as he nibbled it gently. "Allie." He said in a sing song voice.

"Mmmm, Greg." She mumbled awakening slowly her whole body already tingling from his deliberate slumbered onslaught.

"Hey." he whispered kissing her neck softly, letting his hand smooth across her belly.

"Hey. So where's the soup?" She said moaning slightly.

"Are you sure you want soup first?" he murmured against her neck, nipping her skin slightly.

"I don't know." She whispered quietly, the nervousness he once felt coursing through her.

He sighed softly and kissed the back of her neck. "I'm nervous too." he whispered his confession into her hair.

"You are?"

"I've been fantasizing about you for the past two years, imagining you screaming my name... I want to be that good." He said softly. "I want to be the best."

"I know you will be. The way you make me feel, even now... Greg, you're the only one for me." She moved her legs slightly against his.

"I'm still shaking." He murmured in admission.

"I know." she said with a soft smile, feeling both their bodies shaking slightly against the each other.

"Why are you nervous?" his hand still moving over her belly.

"Because I've wanted you for so long. I want to be your best too." she admitted closing her eyes as his fingers found a sensitive spot on her hips.

"You're broken... You don't have to do anything. Just let me love you." he begged softly, heat coiling in his body.

"You already do. You love me. And I love you." She whispered.

House pulled back and encouraged her roll carefully on to her back, ever mindful of her shoulder.

They went about the business of taking their meds swiftly, desperate to move onto more important tasks.

As the settled back down in the bed he watched her eyes cast over his chest in the pale street and moonlight that streaked through the window and filtered past the curtains and illuminated their quivering bodies.

Cameron reached her left hand across her chest to stroke his cheek softly before sliding down his neck and trailing halfway down his chest. Both of them revelled in the feel of skin on skin, their breath quickening at the touch. Her hand moved slowly back up his torso, around his shoulder and down his well toned arms that flexed gently beneath her fingers as he continued to move his hand gently over her stomach.

House smiled down at her and pressed his lips softly to hers.

Goosebumps sprung up across both their bodies.

"Greg." she whispered a moan against his lips, her hand smoothing over his hair.

He nodded slightly and pulled back, wrapping his arms gently around her and helping her to sit up. His hands slid gently up her chest lifting her shirt over her head careful not to jar her broken shoulder. House kissed her softly as he laid her down, his broken bones soothed by her warmth as his hand moved over her freshly exposed skin. His touch was both explorative and gentle.

Cameron's body shook beneath him, their kiss growing more a more heated with each passing moment, lips moving hard against the others, tongues flickering and teasing. She moaned into his mouth as his broken hand smoothed over her breast, his fingers kneading that soft mound bringing him far more pleasure than pain. Her hand gripped his hair, fisting and pulling and pushing as she sucked his tongue eagerly.

House kissed his way down her neck and along her collar bone to her broken shoulder. He sighed softly before pressing his lips delicately to the angry red wound.

"I'm going to kiss this better." he whispered. "I don't care how long it takes, how many kisses."

He kissed the mark again.

Her hand moved over his hair gently. "It's already getting better." she murmured and kissed the top of his head.

"I take it that's your subtle hint for me to get a move on." He said lifting his head and grinning down at her.

She grinned back. "Maybe just a little... It's just..."

"I know." He shifted his hips slightly, letting her feel what this was doing to him. "Trust me, I know."

She flexed her leg against him which made his breath catch.

"Stop trying to hurry me, woman." He said a warning tone though his lips were spread wide with a grin, but none the less he reached his right forearm across her torso and pulled his body gently over hers, settling magnificently between her thighs.

"Tease." she muttered, her eyes closing at the pleasure that shot through her body at the feeling of him pressed so intimately to her.

He grunted slightly as he rested his weight carefully on her body. "I'm not teasing... I'm taking my time." He kissed her neck gently. "I want to know you. To feel you. I want to understand..."

"What? What do you want to understand?" she asked softly stroking his cheek

He pulled back slightly to look down into her eyes, his hands moving gently through her hair. "I want to understand what I'm feeling."

He had never felt like this before. All feelings previous had been quantified and explained... this however was completely beyond him.

Cameron smiled. "It's love. You're not supposed to understand it, just enjoy it." she whispered. "It's not something that is to be understood in the mind." Her hand smoothed over his brow. "But something to be believed in here."

Her hand pressed against his heart.

House frowned slightly and sighed. Belief didn't fit in his plan, didn't fit in his logic and understanding so how could they co-exist? And yet, he sensed they already did and had done for a long time.

A very long time.

"I believe." he whispered and kissed her softly. "I believe in you. In us."

His heartbeat was hard against her hand.

Their lips were soon moving hard and fast, their teeth nibbling and tongues flickering as passion and fire built up in their quivering bodies. They kissed ever deeply, their hips rocking in an imitation of what was to follow.

Their mouths parted as they gasped for sweet breath to ease their burning lungs. His mouth grew restless and began trailing down her body, tasting every inch of her. As his mouth found the sweet rose bud on the glorious mounds of flesh on her chest, he moved to her right side letting his left hand sneak lower to ease down her shorts, encouraging the last barrier from her body.

She moaned softly, her leg bending beneath his wandering hand as she kicked her shorts away from her feet.

House bit lightly on her hardened nipple as his hand smoothed over her hip, almost afraid to press further.

Her hand smoothed over his hair, encouraging him gently before spreading over his back that was already slick with perspiration. His strong powerful muscles rippled beneath her hand as his fingers spread to her centre.

Cameron moaned loudly, her body shivering with each gentle touch of his fingers, each flicker of his tongue as his mouth moved to her other breast. The feel of her wet nipple drying in the cool night air made her body twist and curl in pleasure and sweet stimulation.

House watched carefully making sure that her shoulder was kept as still as possible as she tensed and jolted.

A wave of pain amongst pleasure moved across her beautiful features.

He moved his hand to her hip and slid up her body to kiss her lips softly. "You okay?"

She breathed deeply and nodded.

"I'm fine, just... I forgot for a while." She said her eyes falling closed.

"Then you'll forget, again." he murmured. "I promise."

Her hand slid down his back and tugged slightly at his boxers. "Greg, I want to feel you."

He rolled back laying down beside her and pulled off his boxers quickly. The instant he turned back towards her he felt her hand moving down his body as if to test him. He leaned over her gently and looked down into her eyes, his forearm holding up his upper body as his left hand moved over her stomach as he awaited her exploration.

Her eyes blazed fiery and lustful in the pale silvery light of the room.

House could feel his whole body shivering and shaking at the sensations that built up from her touch, no doubt making his own eyes reflect the look he saw in hers.

He nuzzled her neck kissing it softly, grunting every so often in time to the movements of her hand. "Allie, you tease." He murmured sucking and nipping her neck gently.

She released him and slid her arm around him. "No more teasing."

He looked down into her eyes and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you too." Cameron replied with a wide smile, her eyes still burning for him.

He brought his body gently over hers resting his weight carefully on his right forearm and his left leg as he positioned himself, suddenly feeling nervous and self conscious. He could feel his fast heart beat loud in his ears, thudding away like some primal drum, calling to him. His left hand moved to her waist holding her gently as his right hand stroked her hair gently.

She stared up at him, her eyes wide and hungry. Her chest heaved up and down against him, her nipples brushing the sparse hairs on his chest with each deep panting breath.

They were ready.

He kissed her softly and let his body sink achingly slowly to hers.

They moaned loudly at that first glorious meeting, their bodies thrumming with emotion, adrenaline and endorphins.

So much had built up to this moment, the sexual tension coiling ever since her interview, twisting and curling with each passing day, ready to shatter and break with thunderous force.

Her long lithe legs curled around him, as he began to move gently over her, their lips still connected in a never ending sweet kiss.

House couldn't ever remember feeling anything as pure and entire as this; there was just something inexplicably perfect about it.

Her hand moved across his perspiration soaked and ever fluctuating back, feeling the throbbing power that lingered in his muscles but was restrained for this experience in favour of slow, deep movements that caused the tension to build more and more with each strangely gentle shift of his body against hers.

Cameron's body arched.

He watched carefully, his body stilling over hers as he cradled her gently, his moist harsh breath pouring over her neck like the purest warmth. His left arm was under her lower ribs, he'd snuck his right arm under her left shoulder and lightly gripping the right side of her neck keeping her broken shoulder elevated from the mattress.

Her body calmed down slowly and soon her eyes met his.

Something tangible and electric passed between them; something amazing was about to happen.

Everything was going to shatter around them but they would still be there, joined amongst chaos; held together by love and want and need.

Their eyes remained locked together as he moved once more.

Breaths were harsh and hard filling the others lungs.

Her hand fisted in his hair.

Heart beats pounded against each other.

He sucked and bit her bottom lip gently.

Their bodies shivered and shook.

Her legs tightened around him.

Groans and moans filled the air.

His body jerked and twisted against her.

She screamed in pure ecstasy, her body burning.

He roared in utter escape, entirely lost in her.

House groaned as he pulled back and slid against her left side, kissing her neck gently and drawing her body flush against his.

The sound of the ragged harsh breaths filled the air.

"The best." She murmured as her breathing calmed.

"Completely." He replied.

"I love you, Greg." Cameron whispered as her eyes closed.

"I love you too." he breathed stroking her cheek gently.

Their hands met and they slumbered with ache in their bodies and relief in their hearts.

Something amazing had happened... and it was only the beginning.


	41. Chapter 41

**FINAL CHAPTER!**

House woke but he kept his eyes shut tight.

His whole body ached; every muscle seemed to burn which was expected given the previous nights repeated exertions but not to this extent. He breathed deeply suddenly aware that there was no soft warm body beside him, no hand to hold.

He squinted up at the too harsh light of the room.

He was in the hospital; alone and in his very own hospital bed.

Machines blinked and flickered around him, moving and beating to his rhythm.

_What the hell?_

He sat up, his whole body groaning with agony. He lowered the bedrail at his side and slid his feet over the edge.

He reached over for a glass of water. A white plastic tag shone up at him from around his wrist. He sipped the water, taking the horrible taste from mouth before taking a closer look at the tag.

His name. His birth date.

A hospital gown ruffled around his body.

_What the hell was going on?_

The door of the room opened and Cameron bustled in with a clipboard in hand and a lab coat across her shoulders.

"You're awake!" She exclaimed happily as their eyes met.

She threw the clip board and pen down on the edge of the bed and drew closer.

House sighed in sweet relief glad to see her and know she was safe. He needed her desperately. His arms slid around her body pulling her between his knees as he pressed his lips passionately to hers.

He frowned slightly as she remained still beneath his touch and kiss but he was relieved moments later as she slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back slowly and longingly as if she feared the touch would disappear and be gone forever.

He held her tightly needing the familiarity of what was supposed to be this morning, the familiarity of what was right in this unfriendly setting.

They pulled back, their chests heaving up and down because of their breathless kiss.

"Damn." Cameron muttered in an anguished tone, her arms falling from around him and her eyes closing.

She stepped back slightly.

"What?" House asked entirely confused. "Why are we here? What happened?"

"House," she said stepping back a little further, he frowned at her movement and the foreign sound of his second name on her lips. "You were in a coma."

He gulped slightly.

"How long?" He glanced at her shoulder growing more concerned about her than himself and before she could answer he asked, "How's your shoulder?"

His hand stretched forwards moving gently beneath her shirt in search of her wound.

She slapped his hand away.

House frowned, confused beyond belief and looking down at his reddened hand.

"My shoulder is fine," she said indignantly stepping completely from his grasp, "And you were asleep for 3 days."

House groaned hunching forward and pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes.

"What?! That doesn't make sense! Allie, what the hell is going on?!" He begged his eyes meeting hers once more,

House saw wave after wave of realization and emotion sweep across her beautiful features.

"You were shot, House." She said softly, again his second name seemed to burn him; "Do you remember that?"

"No, no, he shot you... your shoulder..."

She shook her head and pulled her shirt over to reveal an expanse of creamy unblemished skin.

"No." House whispered, shaking his head not wanting to believe it his head dropping in defeat.

All of it had been in his mind.

"What happened?" Cameron said softly drawing close once more, unsure about how to react towards him.

Unsure what he expected, what he needed.

"He shot you... I shot you... when I said the skinny brunette he thought you were me and he shot you." He said reliving the pain and guilt of his imagination. "I... I er... you... and we..." he stuttered not knowing how to explain the realities of his mind and heart.

"Must have been something good to deserve a kiss like that." She said softly trying to save him.

House nodded slightly, his eyes still downcast.

He felt so lost.

"It was so real." he whispered longingly.

Cameron sat next to him on the bed and tentatively took his hand in hers.

"Maybe it was real because you wanted it to be real."

She squeezed his hand gently.

He looked in her eyes and suddenly he didn't feel so lost anymore.

* * *

_Around 4 years later..._

He jerked awake. A cold sweat had spread over his body like a rash and his thigh throbbed with a dull ache.

"You okay, baby?" a sleepy voice said at his side.

"Yeah, yeah just my leg." He answered as he sat up reaching for his pills and swallowing one quickly and gulping down what was left of the glass of water on the beside table.

"You had another nightmare didn't you?" she asked softly, rolling onto her back and staring up at him.

He sighed and nodded slightly before lying back down, wrapping his arms around her and curling his body against hers, holding her tightly.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He smiled and kissed her neck softly. He sucked her neck gently and the exact right spot that made her shiver every time.

"Greg." She moaned; half in pleasure, half in annoyance.

"What?" He said innocently and kissed her there again.

"It's 4am... I have to be up in 2 hours." She murmured, her eyes closing involuntary.

"Sleep in... it is a holiday after all."

His hand snuck up beneath her shirt, his fingertips moving gently up and down her side as he continued to kiss her neck.

"A holiday I have to cater for. The turkey won't cook itself."

"Then we should buy a self-cooking turkey next year." he murmured sucking her earlobe and resting his body against hers a little more, his arousal pressing against her thigh.

"That doesn't solve our current problem."

"Then I'll do it."

"No!" She said desperately.

He stopped and pulled back to look down into her eyes.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Do you remember what happened last Christmas?"

"I never thought Taco Bell would make such a great Christmas dinner." he said almost wistfully.

"I don't think your mom would be too pleased with Taco Bell for Thanksgiving... neither would my parents. Again."

"I'll find some article on the internet saying that's what the natives brought to the table." He lowered his lips to her neck once more, "It'll be traditional."

"No." she said less forcefully distracted by the skilled movements of his tongue.

"But... I'm hungry now." He said in a low tone that left nothing to the imagination.

"Greg." She moaned, her eyes closing. "The turkey."

"I'd rather stuff you at the moment." He said biting her neck gently, his hand sliding further up her body to cup and massage her breast.

"Family." She muttered losing coherence fast.

"I don't want to stuff them either. And anyway..." his hand slid down to rest gently over her belly. "...What about our own family?"

"Do you think we should tell them tomorrow?" She said softly, her hands covering his; the swell of their growing child just beginning to show.

"Well it's certainly something I'm thankful for." he murmured kissing her lips softly.

"Me too."

"So?" House said hopefully.

"So." she replied with a devilish sort of smirk that left him in no doubt about what was going to happen.

"I love you." he whispered, sliding her shirt gently up her body and over her head.

"I love you too." she muttered throwing her vest across the room and stroking his cheek gently.

He leaned over her and pressed his lips gently to her shoulder, kissing the wound that healed their hearts, a ritual of their love making ever since that first time so long ago.

**THE END**

* * *

A/N: Hi I just want to say a gigantic thank you to all those who have reviewed this story. Thanks to all those who put me on their favourites list. And alert lists too (all 245 of you). And a shout out to all those on the FOX boards… I love you guys! 


	42. Author's Note

Hiya just thought I'd put a little Author's note at the end to iron out any confusion.

MOST of the story was "real", the only "fake" part was the nightmare where he woke up in hospital. I dare say it was **_very_** ambiguous but I intended for it to be this way. If you take a closer look at the last line...

**_He leaned over her and pressed his lips gently to her shoulder, kissing the wound that healed their hearts, a ritual of their love making ever since that first time so long ago._**

...then you can see that it was indeed Cameron that was shot and not House, hence making the bulk of the story reality.

I'd also like to apologise for the use of the word "vest" with regards to Cameron's attire... a transatlantic mix-up if you will.

mishy

x


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